Closer Look
by Alari
Summary: A second take on the life of Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss. Starting from when she joined the team, and how life goes on. Eventually H/P. Follow episodes, but some of them might be slightly changed in the future for story proposes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:This story starts when Emily comes to work in the BAU.**

**And follows as the episodes go.**

**I hope you like it.**

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><p>Season 02 Episode 09 = The Last Word<p>

"Agent Prentiss not to be rude, but my team and I are leaving for a case and I do not have time for this." Agent Hotchner really did know how make someone feel dismissed huh.

"As I was saying Agent Hotchner…"

"As I already told you Agent Prentiss, you were clearly misinformed. There was no approval for you to get transferred into my team, and there is definitely not a place for you here". He interrupted me, while getting his bag and case files without even looking at my face. "Behavior analysis is not for every agent." The lines on his face told me exactly what he thought of the subject. "Now if you would please excuse me."

Ok, who's idea had it been to wear a skirt? Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's in your file that you were at desk job, you don't need to look like an outcast before you even start, not that you are going to start, because he doesn't want you here.

As if clothes would have changed anything, not one little thing, after all they must be discussing how much of a weird and imposing person I was, and how I was never going to join_ their _team. And also who gets into a meeting and tells a Unit Chief to hurry? Was the woman blind? Or did the whole office get a memo that I was insignificant?

Come on, here I am, In Quantico Virginia, FBI headquarters, in the Unit Chief's office, and still all I could think about was how things could have gone so wrong in a 10 minutes meeting. If it had taken that long.

The meeting started fine, he was nice, welcoming, and responsive. Acted like the perfect gentleman, remembered me, asked about my parents, told me something to make me feel welcome and I responded back.

I thought it was going well, I mean, bosses tend to make sure new people feel welcomed right? And that is when things went south, how was I supposed to know that he didn't have the paperwork? That he had never hear of my transfer and that he didn't like new people on the team. Because there is no other way, even I couldn't get that bad of a reaction just because of who I am.

Yes, I am an ambassador's daughter, and yes, I had rich parents, and again I did know some people had treated me badly based on the misconception that I am a brat, dumb, selfish person. But for the Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit to do something as low as that to someone. That has done nothing wrong on a five minutes meeting was an irritating conclusion to get to.

I, of course, had wrongly asked him where to put my stuff, because really what do you do when you have your office packed in a box and its supposed to be your first day? You talk to you boss, get a desk, introduce yourself to your new colleagues and maybe they will tell you about the job, the boss, the awkward one in the office and the trick with the coffee machine.

But as soon as the words "I was supposed to start here today" came out of my mouth, the lines on his face showed the dissatisfaction, and it wasn't about to change regardless of what I could have said. He denied, reading the papers he had to see if I actually had them, to see if they were real (as if I would do something like that). And then treated it like a done subject that he had to accommodate on his day. Finished. Over. Kaput.

Oh right, he did get out of the office and started talking to another agent, one that looked even less friendly and they were talking about me! Like I wasn't right there! As if I was the weirdest and worst thing since. Since…Argh. Couldn't he at least wait until I wasn't around to discuss me?

Well, Emily Prentiss, all that is going to have to go back into the box. Right now you need to find out a way to talk to SSA Aaron Hochtner as I looked out the window of his office and saw all the other agents working.

Ok, tall dark guy in the blue dress shirt. Definitely not going to talk to him, he looks like a player, if not in the office screwing with other agents, then maybe in his private life? Well he looks like he is treating the blond geeky girl nice at least. So maybe he is sweet? But he looks sweet just with geeky, blond girl. So, maybe try to talk to someone else.

Oh, there is another one that went to the meeting. He sure is geeky too, maybe I am in the right team after all. Not that I was going to tell them that aspect of my personality anytime soon.

Right, geeky, skinny guy with the big glasses. He seems shy, and that might be a good thing, after all geeky shy guy would be nice to my right? I put the box with my things back on the couch and left the office and made my way closer to the stairs. Just in time for him to look up, frown, grab his bag and bail. Well, that went well.

Fine, only one left, the blond cheerleader that interrupted the meeting. And that was a no. I wanted the job, but I still had my pride. And the woman hear part of my dismissal from the office. So maybe I should go back and try to talk to tall dark guy? He was a safer bet.

And too late. He and blond thing were leaving with their bags, out the door, as every one. God that sucks. What am I going to do? I want this job, and I am not going to stop trying just because the boss is a prejudiced jack ass that doesn't listen. So maybe I should just try and talk to anyone, maybe they knew the team, or were friends, or could give a message or something. Right about now even a email that I could contact with anyone was a miracle. How I hate being the new kid around.

As I approached the very festively dressed blond woman, and prayed that this was one at least would give me five minutes of her day. She was the only one with different attire then everyone else, she did not speak to anyone since she came close to the coffee machine and she was calm, and did not seem the type to just flip out on me.

"Excuse me. Do you, by any chance, know when I can expect to hear from SSA Hotchner?" Yes, that was a good enough statement, I did not say that he wanted to hear from me, and by the looks in his office he probably would like to never hear from me again.

"Hey sweet cheeks." The woman turned to me with a smile on her face and a gentle expression. Good, at least one person did not get that memo.

"Hotch and the team are leaving for a case, so it all depends on the level of freak they will have to track down. "Come, lets go to my lair. Too much light is not that good for me." The woman started walking away and it took me a minute to realize I was supposed to follow.

"I'm Penelope by the way, Penelope Garcia" The blond offered with a smile.

"Emily Prentiss. A pleasure to meet you."

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><p><strong>AN: That is it for today. I'm working on the next chapters and this will be a long story.**

**I wanted to thank DrMauraIsles ****who kindly excepted to be my beta.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ok, this is the second chapter, I hope you guys like it.**

**Sarahb2007: Most of them will be done in Emily's but I do want some to be different, let's see how that goes.**

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><p>Season 02 Episode 10 = Lessons Learned<p>

As we left the plane and started walking to the car, I felt a sense of comfort and dread at the same time. Gideon's words reminding us that Jihad never ends were also a reminded that for today the imminent attack on the country was under control, but for tomorrow we never new, and tomorrow we would probably be called somewhere else.

The ride to the BAU was easy enough, it was still around six thirty so we had so we didn't have much to worry about. Agent Hotchner called Agent Gideon and they talked almost all the way there, but after some time I just tuned them out, if there is something you learn with Agent Gideon, is that if he wants you to know something, he will tell you.

As soon as we got to the bullpen Agent Gideon went to his office while Dr. Reid and I got to our tables, the place was quite empty, but I could see Agent Morgan's stuff still at his table, so he was probably around. I decided to start on the paperwork since it wasn't too late so that if anything came tomorrow it would be easier.

"Hey, princess!" I heard a male voice say next to me. As I looked up I could see Agent Morgan's smirking face.

"Excuse me?" I answer with not really a bite in my voice but still fighting the urge to roll my eyes at him. Really? Pick on the new colleague? Well here we go.

"Not mocking I swear. I am just one for nicknames. Isn't that right boy genius?" As both Agent Morgan and me looked at Dr. Reid I could see that he did not try to prevent the eye roll. At least I was not about to be singled with the nickname parade.

"Yes Agent Morgan?" I answer again as he got close to the table and started looking at the stuff on top of it.

"Just wanted to know how you feel about your first case. " As Agent Morgan looked at me I could see he was genuine about his interest in how things went, and from the corner of my eye I could see that Dr. Reid had also stopped writing and for some reason that made it all better, the warm feeling that I had on the way back from the Guantanamo, the feeling that I was slowly being integrated was settling in. And, for sure, that could make a girl's night.

"It was very impressive to see Agent Gideon in that interrogation, and all of Dr. Reid's pin pointing at the right observations that would help the case and the evolution of the information's. It is quite different to work with profilers Agent Morgan. " I finished truthfully.

"Well princess, from the words of things you did a great job. Oh that reminds me, JJ asked me to tell you to go to her office so she can finish getting your ! and Garcia also asked you to stop by her girl cave before you call it a night. – I stood up and started making my way towards Agent Jareau Morgan called my name.

"Oh and Prentiss. Loose the formalities, after all we will be seeing each other a lot from now on." Morgan said with a smile.

"I agree. People already look a me weird without someone on the team calling me Doctor." Dr. Reid explained showing that even if he seemed distracted he was more then capable of paying attention.

"Agreed." I said giving my back to them and going after Agent Jareau.

"Excuse me Agent Jareau" I knocked on the door and opened to find the woman on the phone. I was about to walk right back out when she quietly told me to get in and take a seat.

"I understand Detective Carlson." The blond agent seemed tired and ready to go home. "Yes, as soon as I receive the files I'll deliver them myself to Agent Hotchner and he will look it over and see if there is anything that was overlooked." A media liason's job did not looked fun right about now. "Ok Detective. Have a nice night."

"I'm sorry about that Emily, but sometimes the detectives think that harassing me over the phone will get them a consult with Hotch faster." I was a bit started by the whole I'll call you your first name thing without even thinking but I didn't actually have a problem with it, so it was not worth mentioning.

"That is fine, your job seemed quite singular just a moment ago." I said trying not to sound improper.

"Yes, that is a good word for it." Agent Jareau started getting some papers from her desk and finally got one case file and handed it to me. "Here are the rest of the protocols and policies and any other paper with an explanation that I still owned you from this morning. And that one is case file that Gideon ask me to pull for you, sometimes just consulting on those cases will help the police, and most of the time we don't have the time to go to all of them, so I select the ones we will go to, with Hotch's supervision of course, and the other will be handed to you guys analyze. So you can take home, look it over and tomorrow someone will talk it over with you."

"Ahh, ok" I got the papers from her hand and decided not to look it over now, she looked she already had everything ready to leave, and she probably had better things to do too at this time. "Thank you very much for your help Agent Jareau" I said getting up to leave the office and track down Garcia. The place was big with standard doors, she still had trouble around it, not that she was telling it to anyone, and if she anyone noticed that she took 15 minutes to find the blonde's Agent office in the morning nobody commented.

"Emily, please go with JJ, Jareau is my dad and brothers and Jennifer is also my mother's." The younger agent offer with a smile.

"Ok, JJ it is." I offered still uneasy, she was comfortable, but in the sense too comfortable too soon. I did not know what to make of that. "I still have to talk to Garcia, so I'll leave you to it. Have a good night Agen….JJ." I left the room without waiting for a replay.

As I was walking the long hallway I walked past Reid as he walked with a face stuck in a file, boy was he enthusiastic about all of this. As I got close to him he only pointed to the direction he had come from and told me Garcia was waiting. Well I guess someone did notice.

"Garcia?" I asked nocking on the door of the very weirdly decorated computer room. The door suddenly opened and I was whisked inside faster then I could blink.

"Hey sweet cheeks. How was the case for you? Everyone treating you ok? Were Reid and Gideon nice? With the case and the whole thing with my chocolate Adonis I barely had time to think, but I was thinking about your first day and I cheering. Internally of course." Wow, she did have good lungs.

"Let's see, the case was fine, I observed and learned a lot of thing from Reid and Agent Gideon. Everyone is being nice. Working on cases like this is different then what I did, but I still believe I can help, and I want to learn. Thank you for the thoughts. And finally Chocolate what? Who?" Sometime she would just loose me in one of the things that would come out of her mouth. As soon as she finished responding what she could Garcia obviously burst out laughing.

"Sorry munchkins, the chocolate Adonis mention is our very fearless FBI Agent Derek Morgan, and with the whole thing of Hotch and him almost blowing up we were kind of on jitters around here. " I could see Garcia was almost all packed to go out. "Hey, do you want to grab a bite to eat and leave? I mean it is nine already and we have to here tomorrow anyway"

"That would be very appreciated, I don't think I had more then cereal bars today." I said remembering my repeated breakfast, snack and lunch of the day, I'll probably stay away from them for a while if possible. At least a different flavor next time.

"Well then let's go, We can go to that amazing Italian place not too far from your house that you like so much." My stomach was grumbling just from hear her talk.

"Ok, I just need to pass by my desk and get my things then we can go" I watched Garcia closing her office door and we started walking when it suddenly hit me. "How do you know where I live, and that I like that place? "

"Oh little raven, the things you still don't know about your Penelope Garcia."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I hope you guys like it.**

**This is going to be a long story, but I like the way it's going.**

**I am also working on more dialog, it's just I want to show more of Emily, and then go to her and the team.**

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><p>Season 02 Episode 11 = Sex, Birth, Death.<p>

Oh boy, did today suck.

Was it stupid thinking that things were starting to adjust, that it was getting better. What a joke, he is just waiting for the perfect opportunity to fire my ass off.

JJ and I were waiting for Garcia, Reid, Morgan, Agent Hotchner and Agent Gideon to come back. I still could not believe Nathan Harris tried to commit suicide based on a profile.

And on top of that I had to be cough up between a job I wanted and my mother's political associates. Wouldn't it…

"So, do you think he will be ok?" JJ's snapped me back to reality.

"I don't know. I mean, would you be ok knowing that one day you might wake up and start killing." I asked her. "I don't think he will ever be the same again. But maybe, now that he has help he won't ever have to wake up wondering." And that was the sad and good in all of this.

JJ and I went back to our silence, after all we were the only ones left on the bullpen right now. I was still going over my file, in the morning Agent Hotchner had asked Morgan to go over it with me, but we never had the chance. Reid came running and we were all on the go after that.

Well kind of anyway…

"Maybe we could go out tonight, what do you think? It's not that late and I'm sure after a day like today we could all use a night out." I wasn't much of a going out person, but Reid was probably upset, and Garcia, poor her, must be looking at pictures of baby kittens, just to forget tonight.

"Actually that is a very good idea. We haven't gone out in a while, and we could use it." JJ sounded tired, I guess if you thought about tonight's events one too many times it would probably multiply in your head.

Just as we were about to discuss anything else Morgan and Garcia opened the door to the bullpen. She was clearly shaken up, her eyes a little wide, her make up smudged and with Morgan's arms around her.

He had probably come all the way back trying to calm her down, for someone without much experience with crime scenes and blood, it all sucked. As they stopped by us JJ started the conversation.

"Hey, let's all go to a bar. We can have a drink and just spend a little time" I was about to argue with Garcia and Morgan on the good that it would make, when surprisingly, Garcia beat me to it.

"Yes please. My head is already filled with all the little creepy and crappy things you guys ask on a daily basis, and I would like to not have this one to think about tonight. " She looked at Morgan and then at our faces, waiting for a reply.

"Of course baby girl, I'll call Reid and ask him to meet us there. After all we all know Gideon isn't." Morgan seemed a bit irritated when he said that, a little resentful maybe? I could guess that Agent Gideon wasn't one to go on those group things, but I think the hurt feelings he was showing were not his own.

"Ok, I'll call Spence and we can all meet at the pub near Garcia's, what do you all think?" JJ answered with a smile. "Oh, Emily, can you go up to Hotch's office and ask him if he wants to go?" And that is how I found out that our Unit Chief had being here the whole time.

Crap.

I was certain he had left with Morgan to go after Garcia and Reid, and apparently it was not the case. Good. Not. "I actually have to return a call, I'll be back really quickly." And after dropping the lamest excuse on the planet I made my way to the bathroom.

Very good Emily, now besides being weird they know you are lying.

I was still in a earshot to hear Morgan ask the girls "Does someone wants to explain to me what was that all about?" After that I duck on the nearest door and decided to play with my phone for the next 15 minutes before going back out.

I could just go up there and pretend that nothing happened, after all I very much doubted that Agent Hotchner would say anything in front of anyone. But the matter at hand was a little deeper then being humiliated in public. He had clearly accused me of selling information from a case to make a career, again. And this time, he had acted as if I was guilty of something.

Firstly he had called all the team and said that they would go pick up Nathan Harris, as normal Garcia and JJ would stay in the office, only the field agents did pick up. So I had done as all the other field agents and started gathering my things to go out. That is until Hotch stopped me in front of the team, and said I wasn't going, after all I had a consult waiting for me at my desk.

I could clearly see in everyone's faces that this was not a normal occurrence, but I thought nothing of it. Some unit chiefs had trouble putting female agents on the field too quickly. So I went to my desk and started working on the consul, even without the training I was order to wait for, after all I was sure someone would look it over after it was done.

Strike two had come when we were trying to make a profile, I knew I was going back to the kid, but as I had said before starting my sentence, I was just making an observation. But he brushed me off, and honestly I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. Come on, I am not stupid, by that point, the one where Morgan had to defend me, I knew something was up.

And after that, things went to hell so to speak. I made a stupid innocent question, just one, and it was all it took, tip of the iceberg hit and quickly I was crashing down. I know in his mind I was still an outsider, and that he was still testing me, but I would never ever compromise a case to make my career. I was happy with this job dammit.

The things I got accused into that office were one of the worst things I had actually had to listen quietly. I appeared on mysterious circumstances, not my fault, my boss told me I could get the transfer I had being waiting for, I came. His agent got into a questionable shooting, what the hell did I have to do with that (but looking at it I doubt he was accusing me of that). I had a freaking political agenda? That is a laugh.

I won't lie, he wants to call me a bitch, fine, I've being called worst, after all I am a woman on a man's job and I am good at it. He wants to call me out for asking him about his meeting with congresswoman Streyer that is fine too. It was a innocent question, but it could still be misinterpreted by others and I was fine with it.

But tell me I have a political agenda, no. Now he just basically told me I will never have a place in his team because he will not trust me. Apparently here in the BAU I'll have one good day, one bad day.

I think from now on he will try and get me out of the team, as soon as he is able to. And there is nothing I can do. He knows I can do good work, he know I have all it takes to be a profiler and that I want to learn. But after all of this I don't know if he will let me.

I hear a knock on the door and I look up to find Garcia looking at me funny.

"So. What are you doing in the security floor's office when he is in his dinner time?" Ok I was more busted then I thought, I could still deal with this.

"I just wanted a quiet place to talk on the phone." I answered with a smile and waving my phone to her.

"Little weird pumpkin but let's go past this. Let it not be said that weirdest things happened around here." Garcia was a love, but sometimes I don't know if her attention span was short, or if she tricked us into thinking that.

"Lead the way Miss Garcia." Opening the door we started walking back to the bullpen. As we got closer I could see that Agent Hotchner and Reid had joined the team and they all looked like they were relaxed. Maybe Nathan Harris was going to be ok? I hoped so; my heart felt heavy thinking about this case.

"Honey, are you ok?" If I was waiting for a question from Penelope, that was not it. And it took me a little by surprise. I could see that the team had heard her and that they were all waiting for an answer even though the conversation kept going and nobody was looking at us, a profiler knew those things.

"Yes Pen, I'm fine." But as I looked at the group and as I looked at Agent Hotchner I could only see one thing. Tonight was going to be a group night, a family thing, and after today, I was uncomfortable to be there. After having that conversation and saying things about my personal family displayed to someone to prove how much I did not want to be like her, and how much I resented her had hurt more perhaps the whole thing.

I guess that is not true, the whole thing keeps coming to my head, and I keep alternating between feeling hurt and angry.

"Well then, let's get out of here." Morgan went to his desk, got his things and started walking towards the elevators, we all followed. My feet carrying me without a conscious thought. The elevator ride was quiet , each of us lost in our own little world.

And once more, I could not help but think that the drink was a mere formalities, just something for Agent Hotchner to see that everyone was ok for the night. So that Reid could feel between his own. Because JJ needed the relaxation that it would bring her, even if just for a few moments together. So that Morgan could go home certain that he had done what he could. And for Garcia to know that all the things she did had a better purpose, that all the bad things that happened always come with some good too.

And at that moment, after all that happened, after everything I had gone in my life, I could not be a part of this. I couldn't feel like part of this. And maybe never would. And that was my own fault, choices long gone and long buried. And the feeling that I deserved it came with a bad taste in my mouth, even when part of me knew the miscalculated rationality of it all.

Instead I drove home from the BAU, I did not want to be the party pooper tonight. They needed each other, and I was too tired to play nice or not to be bothered by comments that might occur during the night.

As I stepped inside my apartment I could already feel the tension leaving my body. If there was one thing I was proud of buying that was not shoes, it was this. Even if most of the apartment was crap, which wasn't the case, I would have bought it for the view. And the tub. I pretty much fell in love with the place and never looked at another one.

I went to the kitchen and was about to get a salad from the fridge, but decided against it. I had a brand new Ben and Jerry's in the freezer, so I would just order a pizza and have a comfort food type of night.

After ordering the pizza I decided to text Garcia and let her know that I wasn't going, I didn't want them to worry.

_Hey Garcia,_

_I'm kind of tired, so I just came home._

_You guys have fun._

_I'll talk to you tomorrow_

_Emily_

That was simple enough and they would not ask too much about it, after all it was a weird case. I went to my room and changed my clothes, I would take a shower before going to bed. Not even five minutes after I sat down in front of my t.v. my cellphone buzzed in the kitchen counter.

_Hey Sweetie,_

_Are you sure you are ok? _

_JJ said that going out was your idea._

_Pen_

Great, JJ had to remember that didn't she? Now they were probably talking about that at the bar. Well distraction could always work.

_Sorry :)_

_I know, but when I sat in my car I just felt so tired I came home without given much tough. Rein check? I'll just order something and have a fine night with Ben and Jerry's._

_I have to keep my strength to go to the new mall this weekend. I need a new bag._

And not even two minutes had gone by when her answer came.

_OHHH!_

_Let's do a shopping trip together! I have not gone girl shopping in so long._

_Can we pretty please with cherry on top?_

Good, now she would be more preoccupied with shoes and bags, I did not want her to worry about me, after all nights out were to enjoy and unwind, not the opposite.

_I would like that very much._

_We'll get the details tomorrow ok?_

Sure enough my phone buzzed again.

_Ok, everyone is sending goodnight._

_Talk to you tomorrow._

_Night Em._

Before I could even reply my phone buzzed again.

_Hey Em,_

_Hotch asked you to come to his office tomorrow first thing._

_Okay?_

And that ladies and gentleman is how me eating half the ice-cream in my freezer just became me eating the whole thing.

_Sure, not a problem._

_Talk to you all tomorrow._

Quickly typing my answer and leaving the phone to buzz away in the kitchen alone I got back to the living room with the ice-cream to wait for my pizza.

Tomorrow was going to suck, big time.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I struggled with this one a bit.**

**But I hope you enjoy it.**

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><p>Season 02 Episode 12 = Profiler, Profiled.<p>

The jet was so quiet.

Today we were not expecting to receive news that Morgan was arrested and that we all needed to fly out to Chicago to help, that was a weird one. After agent Hotchner and agent Gideon got back with Morgan and having arrested Mr. Buford the rest of the team decided to disappear.

Morgan was clearly upset about the whole thing, and if he tried to hide from Hotch, I think it's a safe bet he would want me as far away as possible, so I just packed up, and got ready to back home. But I would still offer for Morgan and Garcia and I to go to a bar when he was back.

So that he knew we were there for him, in any way.

The jet was probably about to land. Tonight I planned to go get a drink, I am going inside the BAU, get my things, get Garcia and straight to a bar. I so needed a drink.

This morning when I got to the BAU I was hit by a rocket, well not really, but I still refused to call it Physics Magic, I vowed only to use the name Reid wanted me to after he showed me how it was done.

After getting caught playing with the little missile in the bullpen by agent Hotchner I was sure I was going to be "called to the principal's office" for a good lecture. After all he had already asked to see me today earlier, and I kind of made sure I got there a little late.

But he had not called me, and then we were rushing to Chicago, so for the time being I was safe.

I went to put my garbage away and sit down for landing. When we first got to the plane on both trips to and from Chicago I made sure to get in last and choose the furthest seat from agent Hotchner.

On the investigation I also made sure to be extra quiet and only say things when extremely urgent that needed to be informed, or when I was sure agent Hotchner was not around.

And that pissed me off. I wasn't shy, I wasn't a coward. So why every time agent Hotchner came around I had the will to duck.

It's not like he can just fire me, for no reason. I just had to be careful. And I really should not talk back to him anymore, the first time was already bad enough. So for the next foreseeable future I had to be as invisible and needed as possible.

Which is going to suck, since it's probably impossible to be both at the same time.

The jet landed and we were all getting our stuff to leave. I was anxious to go out tonight, so since I was near the door, as soon as it opened I was already down the stairs and making my way to one of the cars.

As Reid, JJ and I started to get in the first car that would take us to the BAU agent Hotchner called out.

"Agent Prentiss as soon as you get to the BAU please go to my office, I would like to speak to you tonight." He looked serious.

"Yes, sir." Well looks like he did not forget our little chat, as I hoped. I got into the car and did not bother to look at Reid and JJ, they also knew I was in trouble.

As we got to the BAU I did not wait for anyone, just kept going until I was in front of agent Hotchner's office. Since he had already told me that we were going to talk, I decided to make myself "home" and just wait for him inside and sitting down.

After ten minutes I could hear him getting closer talking to someone.

"No Hayley, I'm still at the office. Yes, I'm still going to be here a while."

There was a pause.

"I have one of my agent's in my office right now, I'll have this meeting and then I'll go home. Yes, I promise." Ha, he was so whipped it was funny.

"No, it's not Morgan. He stayed in Chicago. This is a new agent."

Another pause.

"No, you don't know her."

Pause.

"Yes, it's a her."

Pause.

"I'm not giving her the phone so she can talk to you" Ok, that is weird.

"I'll talk to you later and no, I'm not mean to her. Goodbye."

Ha, I just got defended by my boss wife. I think I already like her.

"Agent Prentiss" He walked in with a serious face, and my good humor went out the window.

"Sir."

He went to his chair and got a file from his desk and put it in front of him.

"Ok, first let's get something out of the way. I wanted to say that I may have being hasty when talking to you about the Nathan Harris case." Ok, was that his idea of patching things up? He wasn't doing a very good job.

"That's fine sir." Ok, move on.

"I believe this needs to be addressed Prentiss, after all you were quiet, stopped making eye contact and became introverted in Gideon and mine's presence. So I'll ask, Is there anything you would like to address" Was he giving her the chance of calling him out on his BS? Well ,buddy you got another thing coming.

"No sir, I believe everything is fine." I put a smile on my face. Did he really think she was going to say something, she was working in law enforcement for more then 10 years now, I knew how to handle sexist's bosses. He was not going to bully me out of the team.

"Agent Prentiss, I know for a fact that you didn't go to the team's night out after finding out that I was going. A night out that was your idea by the way. Would you like to call that a coincidence?" He raised one eyebrow.

"Yes, sir." For some reason he looked irritated with my answer.

"I don't believe that agent. I believe that you are angry and resentful for the words I spoke that day. I'm not saying you are wrong. But I have to make sure that you will come to me if needed, and right now I think that will not be the case."

"I guess then we don't have anything to discuss. Am I dismissed?" I started to stand up when he spoke.

"No, agent Prentiss, you are not." I knew he was going to keep coming back to this subject.

"Well sir, I already said that there is nothing wrong and nothing I would like to discuss. So either write me up for something or I'll go home for the night." I am sick with his suddenly concern. The only thing he is concerned about is me screwing up and it blowing up in his face.

"Agent Prentiss I have seen that you can do good work, and that is why I am addressing this. I looked over the file you handed on your consult. I asked the team if any of them had gone over it with you, and was surprised when all of them said no."

He handed me the file.

"The profile was dead on, there are some things that could have being more specific, but I think those were the ones you were unsure. After that I found your notes." I stared open mouthed at the page that I had gotten to write it down.

"Yes, you did forget to take it out." He replayed with a smirk. "But I found it very interesting, all the things that you did not put on the profile and that were right were there. I just wanted to let you know that before we left for Chicago I sent the profile on your name. You should hear from the detective any day now."

"Oh, ok." Whatever I was expecting, that was not it.

"I was serious Prentiss, I need to know that you will come to me with things."

"We will see." At this point, this was what I could tell him that would not be a lie.

"Fine" He said resigned. I stood up and started walking towards the door.

"If that is all sir."

Fact one: He hated me, and I hated him.

Fact two: I did a good job, he recognized that.

I guess the next few days would show how this would all work out.

Because even if I was willing to overlook everything that happen, I still knew I was the outsider and the enemy in their eyes. I just needed to figure out to which one of them that was.

"Oh and agent, please refrain from encouraging Physics Magic. I really don't need Strauss to walk in on 4 of my team's members doing that in the middle of the bullpen." Really? I knew he didn't say anything to Garcia or JJ. So it was just me right?

Asshole.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I know this one is a little shorter but it makes sense to stop here.**

**Tell me what you think, I hope you like it.**

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><p>Season 02 Episode 13 = No Way Out.<p>

Reid was staring at me again.

We got back from Golconda around lunch time, so we all just came to the office, after all the paperwork never waits. So after Morgan went by McDonalds, and they got lunch to go, they went back to the Bareau. And that's when it started.

Morgan and I came in talking and laughing and we went to the break room area so we could eat. And right after them came in Reid with agent Hotchner and agent Gideon.

"You guys got lunch? You had time to get lunch and sill got here before we did?" Reid was pissed. He was with the other two senior agents in another SUV.

"Really? It took you guys this long to get straight here?" Morgan was so going to get it.

"Kids, behave!" JJ and Garcia came from Garcia's office they also had lunch bags.

"How about we all order something?" That way Mr. cranky pants will stop being moody. – Garcia came to the rescue.

"He wont stop being Mr. Cranky pants, he will just change the subject."

"Oh really…"- Reid started.

"Morgan please! Come on, let's eat, then work, and then hopefully get out of here at a reasonable time. " I was hungry, and nothing was getting in the way of my food.

The girls decided to go out to eat and promised to bring Reid something, so Morgan, Reid and I sat down for lunch. And we started talking. I even shared my french fries with Reid.

So when the stares started after lunch, I had no idea what was going on.

At first I tried to be subtle about it, maybe he wasn't doing it on purpose, maybe he wasn't even aware he was doing it. So I looked up a few times, caught him staring, and smiled.

But he didn't say anything, just went back to the open file on his desk.

When Morgan caught Reid staring, I decided to be more direct.

"Reid? Do you need something?" Having caught him again with the weird staring thing. What was up with the kid?

"No, not at all." He almost jumped out of his desk and ran down the corridor.

"Should I be worried?" I looked at Morgan.

"Let it go. Believe me."

Ok. Weird things are happening today.

After some time working on the file I decided to get some coffee to distract me a little, sitting down hunched over a file for a few hours could be incredibly uncomfortable.

"I think it's a good idea Spence." JJ and Reid were also getting coffee, and apparently the blond was reassuring the younger agent of something.

"Hey, is everything ok?" I asked getting close to them.

"Oh. Everything is fine."

And after some pretty awkward silence I started to get my coffee and both agents vanished from the break room.

Ok time to get to the bottom of this.

"Hey Reid! Just please tell me what this is all about?" I finally cornered him in the conference room.

"Really, it's nothing." Did he really think I would believed that?

"Reid."

"Here is the deal, at lunch you were talking about how you grew up living in different European and middle east country's, so I thought it was probably a safe bet that you know a few languages."

"Ok, and…" Is it just me or is the kid not making a lot of sense.

"I know this little movie theater and they have showings of very old and foreign movies. Russian, German, Greek and all that. And I always invite the guys, but all of them don't speak enough of another language to actually understand, or they just don't want to go." Oh, so there is where this is going.

"So I was thinking that since you do know the languages and the especial fact that they have the biggest chocolate selection a movie theater ever had I was wondering that you might be interested in joining me?" He was weird most of the day for that. "After all you LOVE chocolate." He said the last part imitating what I said back in crazy Jane's house.

"You stared at me most of the day because you wanted to invite me to the movies?"

"Well, yes. Morgan said you would never say yes, but that is because he doesn't like them. JJ said that if you said no…."

"Ok, let me interrupt you right there. I really don't want to know that you went to everyone in this office asking them what they thought I would say. So when is the next showing?" I really didn't want to know what they all had said.

"In two hours." Reid gave me an embarrassed smile.

"Ok, we will go straight from here. And we will get the largest popcorn they have, and peanut m&m's."

"You'll go?"

"Yes, I like those movies. My dad used to get really old foreign movies and not put subtitles so that I would get used to listening other languages and get interested in them and in the country. I think he wanted me to follow my mother's career and not his." Dad started as a CIA agent and then went political like my mother.

"Ok, Popcorn and M&M's and any other chocolate that strikes your fancy. My treat." He said with a big smile.

"Ok, but let's finish or files so we actually get out of here on time."

After about one more hour of work we decided to get going, it wasn't that far away, but traffic was unpredictable around here.

"Come on Reid. I want to get there on time to get my treats." I said putting on my jacket and getting my purse.

"You are actually going to the nerdy showing" Morgan started.

"Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it. Some of the best movies are the weird ones."

"If you said so. But I'm sure I could show you a better time princess." Morgan and I had started this messing with each other earlier on the plane. And to be honest, it was fun. But I was still going slow with the familiarity, after all there was a lot that could go wrong.

"Morgan." Both of us looked up to see Hotch at the door of his office, apparently he had heard what Morgan had said.

"Oh don't mind him sir. And Morgan, I'm sure I'll enjoy Reid tonight just fine. Come on Reid." I started walking towards the door. Reid caught up with me with a smirk on his face. In a lower tone I told him. "Come on, you promised food and I'm hungry."

"After witnessing Hotch and Morgan's faces I'll buy you whatever food you want tonight." We left the bullpen joking around.

Today was a good day.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys, this is a little different but I hope you like it.**

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><p>Season 2 Episode 14 = The Big Game<p>

Aaron Hotchner's POV

The team had finally caught a brake and we were all at the bar. Super bowl party.

Morgan had harassed all of us until we all agreed. As I told Hayley he was just jealous because Reid and Prentiss were hanging out together without him.

I mean, it's not like they forbade anyone to joining, but after years of inviting the team and always being mocked I think Reid would be upset with Morgan taking interest.

JJ and Reid disappeared pretty quickly and after being bombarded with invitations to dance, Morgan went to give the…Uhn…Ladies a happy night. So now it was only Garcia, Prentiss, Hayley and myself at our table.

Well, since Garcia's eyes were glued to Morgan, and she had her back to us, Prentiss was apparently feeling very awkward in the table because as soon as I said I would get us something to drink, she volunteered and was out of her seat before I could reach my wallet.

"You told me you were being nice to her Aaron, the poor woman calls you sir or boss on your off time." Hayley was quick to notice the team's dynamic.

"I was. I mean, I am." Good, that will make her believe that everything was smooth with Prentiss coming to the team.

"Aaron I know you, and I know how Jason can be. I very much doubt that any of you were nice to her. Especially with her last name." If there was one thing Hayley was not, it was stupid.

"Hayley please not now."

"Honey, I know you are a good boss. And I know all of your team respects you. But I also know that she is your first field female agent since Elle, and for some reason you never mentioned getting a new agent, nor you said anything about the fact that you now have a female agent again. Don't you think that is weird?" Did I really not tell her? I'm sure I did at some point.

"Aaron. Besides Garcia, which you only call her that because she likes it. You call the other agents with familiarity. All except Emily. And you introduced her as agent Prentiss, I had to ask her for her name." Ok, I now know the reason why Prentiss vanished as soon as possible from the table. "Aaron do you want her to quit? Is that what this is? You want her to get uncomfortable enough to ask to be transferred." Did I want that? Luckily it was then that we heard Prentiss busting Derek's balls and getting close to the table, and Hayley knew the subject was closed.

"So how are they treating you at the BAU, Emily?" And the subject was not dropped as intended. Great. And what's up with the familiarity between the two?

"She means am I being nice to you." I need a distraction. Or even better, I need to separate those two before Hayley gets me intro trouble with Prentiss and/or Prentiss get's me into trouble with Hayley. I did not want a pissed Prentiss or Hayley. Again.

"Actually everyone is being incredibly nice." And that was lie. And they quickly moved on to mock Morgan again.

"Come on Hayley let's go show them how it's done." I was already pushing my wife to the dance floor.

"You got me out of that table pretty fast huh?" Hayley asked me smiling.

"I thought it was appropriate." I replayed and saw her smile dropping.

"This the first time Prentiss is out with the team?" She said as more of a statement than a question. She was still looking for an answer.

"With all of us together it is. But she has gone out with Reid and Garcia a couple of times that I know of. And we will probably have more nights like tonight, and she is going to come and I'll promise to play nice with agen-with Prentiss. " I replayed thinking this is what she wanted to hear.

"Well if she comes to another one of those. Because you all just left her alone at the table." I followed my wife's gaze to our table and I could see Prentiss sitting there alone sipping her beer.

"She is an adult Hayley, I'm sure she can handle some time alone, and Garcia will probably be back soon." Why did she had to make me feel guilty about this, even Reid was left alone all the time.

"The others live here for some time Aaron. Emily isn't from here is she? She probably doesn't know anyone." That must be what people call Catholic guilt.

"Honey, she will be fine. She is an FBI agent that is prepared for anything. And does not need to be babysat by you, or me for that matter" I was about to convince my lovely wife that we could stay where we were, enjoying our night when I saw something

A guy was approaching a lonely woman at a table. A guy approaching Prentiss, alone at our table. Ok, maybe we should just go back to the table and keep her company, after all she had just moved here and with a job like our making friends was not that easy. And that guy looked creepy.

"Let's go back to the table."

"Does your decision has anything to do with that guy on our table and his hand on her arm?" Hayley said with a smile. And the mocking begins.

"No. Why?" Be cool Aaron.

"You are protective of the female agents that work with you. So, since you are being protective of her right now, because you are. It means I don't have to worry about you making her leave the team that much. You are acting like you do with JJ, and that's good." She had a smile on her face as she said that. "I like her."

"That does not make any sense whatsoever." Right? Was I starting to consider her as much as JJ? I have known JJ for years, and I guess I kind of saw her as family, and Garcia too, but what about Prentiss?

They weren't field agents they stayed inside safe. And that is why when we went out for drinks with the team I usually kept an eye on them, and my wife new that, she was used to it. I would always make sure I new where they were, and if everything was ok.

But I still have not categorized agent Prentiss. Because she was one of the girls, and that would put her on the same page as JJ and Garcia. But she was also a trained field agent that knew how to defend herself. Not that JJ and Garcia didn't, but it was different, damn it.

And now Hayley likes her. What does that even mean? I know she likes JJ and Garcia, but that is because she is nice to them, she never said she liked them. What could she mean by telling me she likes Prentiss? That I have to like Prentiss?

Not that I didn't like Prentiss. She was a good agent, came in and started working like she belonged here. And besides the whole information leak, that I actually found out was more like Strauss power play and not Prentiss political affiliations fault, I never even had to worry about her.

She went to talk to witnesses, suspects, weirdo's: never tried to get out of it, never complained. Not even about crime scenes, and our team always got some serious fucked up ones. Thinking about it she should have, she came from office work in Chicago, she didn't have contact with the things we deal with. Who was this woman? My thoughts were interrupted

"Honey you are starring." My wife caught my attention with a smirk on her face. And looking up I realized that Prentiss saw me starring at her and was awkwardly trying to make Garcia change seats with her.

"Come on, let's go to the table." I put my hand on her back and started guiding her back to the table.

"You are lucky I'm not jealous, after all she is gorgeous." This is so not the appropriate way to talk about a subordinate.

"Very funny. I'm lucky, you are the only one sweetie, because we both know you are actually very jealous." I said in her ear.

As we got to the table Garcia and Prentiss stopped arguing and were pretending to talk about something else.

"So my sexy raven super hero, who was mystery man?" Oh God man talk! Please no.

"That is private."

"Oh come on, I'm married, I want to hear about it. I don't have any single friends that tell me those things, I want to hear about the dating world." Hayley asked. She did?

"Oh…I…Uhn…" Very articulated. But I guess having you boss's wife ask you about dating was a very strange situation.

"Come on girls let's drink before Reid get's too intoxicated or before we get called in." I said trying to diverge the attention.

"Well sir, I guess it's too late for that." Prentiss pointed behind me, and when I looked I saw JJ with a pretty clear expression on her face.

We had a case.


	7. Chapter 7

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God.

We have to find him, we have to find Reid.

Come on Emily, get out of it. Come on.

The team needs you to focus; Reid needs you to stay focused. You have the least emotional connection and so the fresher eyes. Now snap out of it.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1."

I started walking towards the ambulance to see how JJ was doing, right now that is what I needed to do, that's where I'm needed. I quickly dried my eyes and walked back to the front of the barn.

My eyes opened and my hand immediately went to my holster, I looked around and saw that I had fallen asleep in a cheer in Tobias Hankel's house. A few tears escaped my eyes, Reid was still out there, and we didn't know how much time he had. I needed to start going through the diaries in this freaking house, I needed to move and do something or I would go insane.

I looked at my watch and saw that it was four in the morning. Most of the night I had being going around doing stuff, going to the police and walking on the rain and just trying to keep occupied, just so that I had less time to think of what might be happening to Reid.

I got up and went to the main room that we had set up camp in the house, got myself a cup of coffee and sat down. I needed to think. What would a guy like Tobias have, does he keep souvenirs of his victims? We knew he video taped the last couple, but would that be all? He wouldn't have just that, he was pushed around by all of the people in his life, and he would want stability. He would have records of the victims or actual journals somewhere.

But where would he hide it? Where to put it?

I walked to the kitchen and started opening cabinets and drawers; he wouldn't put it in his bedroom, too obvious. He didn't like obvious. After almost putting down the kitchen I walked to the pantry and started going through it. On the back of a weird cupboard I found several black plastic boxes, quickly getting one of them to the middle of the room I looked over the notebooks inside and realized they were journals. Ok, something to go on.

"What did you find?" I almost jumped out in fright, swallowing dry I turned around and found agent Hotchner in the doorway.

"I…I was thinking that he must have things from victims or some sort of records or even journals. So I decided to go through….stuff."

"I gather that part, I was dosing off in the kitchen cheer and woke up when I heard you." He stated sleepy.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't realized that someone was in there. I'm going to start going over those." I started getting the boxes and moving it towards the main room. There was a lot of boxes, we would all have to go over them.

After talking with agent Gideon about going over the AA list of people that might know Hakel I finally called the number of a man who knew him. I went looking for JJ, it would be good for her to get out of here.

I found her in the bathroom, she was looking at me in the mirror, but it didn't look like she was seeing me, I only had a few second to think before her gun was pointed I me and I was calling her name trying to make her snap out of it.

"I'm sorry. You scared me." JJ looked really scared, and I knew that all the time she spent in that barn were going to be making rounds on her dreams for a long time to come yet.

"I am sorry" She just got traumatized, I really should have made more noise coming near her. "I'm talking tomorrow morning to some guy who knew Henkal from narcotics anonyms, why don't you come with me? Get out of the house."

"Yeah."

"Ok"

"Emily" I turned back to her.

"Yeah."

"How come none of this gets to you?" She asked, and for a second I felt lost.

"What do you mean?"

"You came off a desk job, and now suddenly you are on the field surrounded by mutilated bodies, and you don't even flinch." How can she ask me this? What kind of person does she think I am? I was about to answer when he came behind me.

"She is right you never blinked." And for yet again I knew I was being tested, and that none of them might trust. Not even someone who I thought I knew, they were all just making his game.

"I…guess…maybe I compartmentalize better then most people." I kept looking at both of them and I could see they were analyzing my answer and looking at each other, having a silent conversation, right in front of me, about the words I just spoke.

And if it wasn't for Morgan having called us right at that time, I would have sure walked out of there in a huff. But I couldn't do that; we didn't need that right now. I needed to stay focused.

I hear people getting into the kitchen, I was in the pantry trying to see if there was anything that we might have lost, or overlooked. I started to hear JJ and Morgan arguing and then Morgan leaving. I was about to go to JJ when I heard them talking.

"You shouldn't have asked that to Prentiss, JJ. She wasn't happy about being questioned, even more so in front of me." Agent Hotchner told her in a calm voice.

"You also have your doubts Hotch, after all you backed me up. Who the hell is she? How can she take all of those things without a second guess? And most important why is she here?" I could feel my eyes tearing up. Every one of them thought I was the enemy; they would all try to get me out.

"We need a team with a clear head right now. And questioning her is not the right move to help Reid." God, I just wanted to stop hearing this.

"She…she"

"Calm down JJ." I looked out the door and I could see them hugging. I made my way out the door and to the main room without looking back.

After taking Reid to the hospital we got to a hotel to spend the night, it was kind of late to fly out and we were all tired, so it was decided to stay for the night and leave in the early morning, we would also have the next two days off since today was actually Friday.

As soon as we got to the hotel I declined the invitations to eat with the team and quickly went up to my room, I wanted to be away from all of them for a while, at least until I could put my thoughts in place.

After taking my clothes off I called the reception and asked for dinner, the last thing I remember eating today was a muffin at around nine this morning, so eating something was a good idea.

Just after ordering dinner I stood up to go take a shower when there was a knock on my door, I knew it wasn't dinner, so it was someone on the team. I looked at the door for sometime and hear the second knock louder; I decided them that I didn't really give a fuck tonight. If it was urgent whoever the hell it was would call, so I turned my back and went to take a shower.

I was the first to get on the jet to go home, I sat on the most isolated seat and for the first time since I started working in the BAU I got my earplugs out of my bag and put on some music. I wrap my sweater tight around myself and closed my eyes. Sometimes the physical barriers could actually help with the emotional ones, and I was sure none of them would try to talk to me, after all who better to know the signs.

It was still early morning and we still had about 25 minutes before we were schedule to fly out. My buzzing phone brought me out of my thoughts.

"Prentiss"

"Is that how you answer your mother Emily?" God, this was the most perfect thing that could happen right now. The icing on the cake. And she was probably calling about some event or something, being close to home was going to suck.

"Sorry mother, I didn't check caller ID. How are you this morning?"

"I am well, thank you for asking." My mother answer and was interrupted by someone.

"Hello darling, where are you? We tried calling your house phone." Oh! Dad was home.

"Hi dad. I'm in Georgia actually, on a case. But we will be home in a couple of hours."

"Do you think you will be able to have lunch with us? Or maybe dinner? Or both?" Dad said chuckling.

"Yes, I have the day off after we get home, so I can spend the day with you guys, how does that sound? I missed you." Thinking about what I said and knowing it hurt mother I amended. "You too mother."

"I know." Why did we had to have such a complicated relationship all the time was above me. "We will see you then, please tell us when you are on your way, I'll tell Luisa to get your things ready so you and your father can do those silly traditions of yours." I smiled at that. She would tell Luisa to get us junk food, old movies and comfy clothes to have a big night in. Just what I needed.

"I'll see you then." I closed my phone feeling a little lighter, at least tonight I would be with people that liked me. I would never tell those people that I heard them, or let it show that I was hurt. This was my job, I had to come, do it, and go home.

I did not need to make friends. It's not like it would be the first time people treated me this way. It wasn't the first time I had to distance myself from the job, or better yet from the people that was involved in the job.

I could hear the team getting into the plane, I closed my eyes and put the music on louder.

"I told you she would be here" I pretended to be asleep, I really didn't want deal with this. I was hurt, I was disappointed and I was lonely, and for the first second time in this team I felt betrayed.

I guess some things I better get used to.

I woke up with the plane already stopping, my sleep the night before had being restlessly so the little nap was good. The team was talking and as the plane went to a complete stop we all got up and got our bags.

When the door opened I was the first one out. I wasn't running, I wasn't really. I was just close to the door. I got into the car and soon Morgan and agent Hotchner also got in, and we were off to the BAU.

"So, we tried talking to you yesterday, you never answer or messages. Hotch even came to your room." Morgan was trying to make things better or something.

"I took a shower and went to bed, I just saw the messages this morning." I responded cordially.

"We ended up having dinner together and watching the re-run of the super bowl."

"Hum…"

The car feel into a very awkward silence, and Morgan kept looking at us. When we were almost at the Bureau he tried again.

"We are all getting together today." He started again.

"Yes, the whole team is going to my house. Hayley wanted to do a barbecue and try to finish what we started a few nights ago." Agent Hotchner elaborated.

I decided to play dumb, not looking up I said: "That's nice." I opened my phone, sent my dad a message telling him I was on my way and then pretended to check my messages. When we stopped I quickly got out of the car.

"So, are you coming today?" Agent Hotchner stepped into my way preventing me to move forward and into the building.

"I can't. I have plans." Short answers were good. Short answer prevented me from punching his face.

"Morgan you can just go in, I need to speak with Prentiss." I rolled my eyes at them both.

"Sir, is this really necessary? I really need to get going."

"You vanished last night and you are refusing to go today."

"I was tired last night and I have plans today sir. Now if that is all" I started to go around him.

"Prentiss, we already had a very similar discussion did we not?" He was starting to look angry, what the hell was he angry about? The team's fucking punching bag was me. "Do you know what I think?" Oh that was grand.

"Oh, I know what you think sir, in fact I know what JJ thinks as well, and what the both of you have probably said all around, but that isn't the question here. You gave us all the next two days off, so if I remember correctly I can do what I want on those days, and as I said I have plans. Now if that is all"

"Prentiss, I"

"Oh and sir, as you said. We have had this discussion before, so what makes you think this will different then last time? Have a good day sir." I walked inside the building just as the rest of the team was getting out of the other car. I rushed inside and grabbed the second bag I kept under my desk so I could spend the night at my parents without having to go all the way to my apartment first.

As I was walking out I heard a female voice call my name.

I didn't look back.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ok, so I like this chapter very much, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I rewrote some parts like three times before I was fine with it.**

**But I think this one will be a base to some of the events that will come, you will see what I'm talking about.**

**Thank you very much for the reviews.**

**LetMeWalkTheEarthWithYou, sarahb2007, rmpcmfan: I know very sad, but other moments will come. Sadly not all of them happy, but that's life right.**

**blackstarsing, Guest: I really wanted to do something like this for sometime. I like them and I don't think there are many out there.**

**I hope you all like it.**

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><p>Season 2 Episode 16 = Fear and Loathing<p>

I didn't want another weekend like this one ever again.

I mean, the going to my parents house was actually the nicest part of it. And when spending that amount of time with my mother and her critics was the best part, the rest just sucked.

Ambassador Prentiss was actually quite pleasant, I think dad said something, we didn't even fight. And I got there in work wrinkled clothes and in a mood. But dad, being dad, got me out of it quite quickly.

I did got several phone calls from JJ and Garcia the whole weekend, which I did not answer, I know Garcia didn't do anything, but she and JJ were friends long before I came, so if JJ asked, she would push me aside. So I decided to do that for her.

Agent Hotchner called once on Saturday, I sent a message asking if we had a case, after getting a negative answer I told him I would see him on Monday and cut of the other subject.

On Saturday night, I got a call from Morgan. Dad and I had had a few glasses of wine and I forgot the ignore all BAU member's call and answered. He checked up on me like a friend would, and even not wanting to, it warmed a little part of me.

My parents and I spent the Saturday together and by Sunday morning I decided that things were looking up, so I called Stan. Stan being my over a month sporadic date. I mean in one month we had only gone to three dates, but still I was excited.

And that is when things went south. We were talking and one moment we were flirting and the next he was I was talking about my favorite author, it would be normal, except apparently close minded Stan didn't like girls that were "a little too smart" and that is a quote.

Needless to say the date was basically over, I couldn't open my mouth again, I mean didn't the guy say come to the date, but leave the brain home. So after a drink and entries we said goodbye, he did say he would call, but I was already too disappointed. He had looked so normal and sweet; I guess fifth date is the one. The brake up one.

And to top my night, my apartment got broken into. Seriously, who the hell breaks in on a Sunday, and gets one of the only days I actually was in town. I had to give the police a statement and check if the my other gun was missing, and see what were the things I was missing.

The place wasn't even furnished yet, they actually took two TV's, my coffee machine, some random jewelry that was on my nightstand, a few items of clothing and shoes and my whole make up. So about what I had in the house.

And let's not forget they left lovely words on most of the walls, great.

I knew I had being living here for a month already but I had not gotten moved in yet. Most of the stuff I owned was sold or my mother had done something to it, when I went overseas I did not have time to deal with household things.

So when I came to Virginia I decided to start from zero and build a home, and that plan got pushed a few days, and then a week and then a month, and now I just wanted to move from here.

The door was pretty much useless so I decided to pack a suitcase and just go to a hotel. Calling my parents at this time of the night would only freak them out, and let's face it, I would never call anyone on the team. As I left my place I saw the a few other apartments were also being inspected, I guess this Sunday was a bad one for a lot of people.

* * *

><p>Monday got too early for my liking and after having to move into a hotel room in the middle of the night, I had barely slept at all. I got up and left a message for dad to call me, I would ask him to look around for a safer neighborhood and to go look with me before he had to leave again.<p>

Just as I was pouring my third cup of coffee that morning Morgan came and saw mw making a mess, and then make my day. How could I not know that he was a Vonnegut fan? I knew there was something I liked about him.

I told him about the bad date, but the other things were more private, I still didn't know how much to tell and who to trust. Sometimes I think that was I did my whole life, evaluate the risks of getting to know people.

Well maybe Morgan could be a friend, he wasn't invasive, he didn't need to know things, if you wanted to tell him, that was fine, if you didn't that was fine too. And for her, right now that was a good thing.

* * *

><p>When we got back to the BAU Morgan and I were talking about Vonnegut and unintentionally ignoring agent Hotchner, well not so unintentionally on my part, it was just the three of us in one SUV again and so we had gotten there earlier. After making sure the older agent was distracted by a file and wouldn't hear I approached Morgan with something that was bothering me.<p>

"Hey, I wanted to apologize about what I said in the cemetery today."

"It's ok, I guess I just went through all that happen to me when I saw it happening to that boy, some cases hit a bit too close to home."

"I cannot even imagine going through what you did, and I think it's awesome that you became what you did, and I think what you said to that little boy will make a big of difference in his life." He smiled at that.

"It's what I would have liked to hear you know." We stayed quiet for a bit. "How about we go for a beer?" I was about to declined when he continued. "Just you and me." I could feel my face and ears become hot and I looked down. If Morgan had noticed something was up that was bad. I thought I was doing a good job of keeping things to myself.

"Em, I don't know what happened, and it's none of my business. I just hope that you don't think people are taking sides, because no one is." And just like that I could look into his eyes again. "I like you, and I think you are a good agent."

"Thanks"

"Agent Prentiss" I looked up as I saw the detective that was in my apartment last night.

"Detective O'Brian, how are you?" What was he doing here?

"I just wanted to tell you that you might not want to go back to your building just yet. We got the people that did it, but they are a bunch of teenagers that are rebelling around the city and they formed a large group." Oh great, I moved into freaking wannabe gang area.

"So you think others will go back?"

"They might, especially after someone let it leak that an FBI agent lived there." What the fuck?

"And who might that be detective, because your team knows my neighbors better then I do." God this incompetent sun of a..The other part of the team walked through the glass doors and with Garcia too.

"What happened to your apartment?" Morgan had a serious voice. Crap.

"It got robed."

"When did that happened?" Morgan looked worried.

"Humm…. Last Sunday, just after we got back from Atlanta."

"What the hell Em, you didn't tell anyone?" Ohhh he was the overprotective kind of guy.

"I just didn't even think about telling anyone, I mean why would anyone care anyway."

And that was when the whole team's attention became pretty much glued to our conversation.

"What do you mean anyone would care?"

"Not like that. It just wasn't a big of a deal. I barely had any furniture in the place, and the rest of the stuff got robbed, and I wasn't there, so no danger." I tried making a point.

"Prentiss you should have told someone." Agent Hotchner decided to join in.

"Sir, it really is not a big of a deal."

"That's because the lady didn't have much in the place, and they cleaned the rest out. Even food and personal items were gone." Thanks detective obvious, now butt out.

"Consider myself adverted detective O'Brian. I won't be going back there." He at least had the decency to look embarrassed as he left. Good.

"Your place wasn't furnished it?" Really Reid, Spanish inquisition right now?

"I have furniture, just not as many as other people." I tried.

"Really, and what did you have?" Morgan started sarcastically.

"A bed, a couch….a TV." I stated lamely. "Oh and a coffee machine"

"You have being living here for almost three months and you had 4 things on your house." Reid asked.

I nodded.

"Where are you even living?"

"Hotel." Ok, ganging up on me was making me nervous.

"You don't have to do that, you can stay with someone on the team, you can stay with me." JJ said.

"Honestly I prefer not to." I blurted rudely. "And also I still have to go back to pick up what is left of my clothes and move out. Besides having to buy a few essentials." Why were they making such a big deal out of this?

"The hell you will." I turned to Morgan surprised at the outburst.

"Morgan is right, you are not going anywhere near that place by yourself, and I don't care that you have your gun." Agent Hotcher put his alpha male out to play.

"Fine. I'll wait until tomorrow during the day." I tried to compromise.

"You will do no such thing. You will only go with one of us Prentiss is that understood."

"Sir, as I have said before…

"Prentiss that is not a request." He said altering his voice.

That shut me up. I was angry and embarrassed, why did they have to make such a big deal out of this.

"Fine. Morgan could you please go with me?" I asked not looking at anyone. That made everyone leave Morgan and myself alone.

"Hey, he is just looking out for you, he does that to everybody on his team."

Yeah right, the only difference is that he basically told me I'm not a part of the team a few times already, so what gives?

"Let's just go." I got my go bag and we headed to the elevators.

The whole way to my apartment was quiet. When we got there I could see that Morgan was surprised that there really wasn't much in it.

"You know, you really don't have to stay in the hotel." He started talking while I got a few empty bags and started to put my stuff on it.

"Yes I do. Morgan I'm really glad for what you are doing, but let's face it I'm an outsider." I didn't even fold the stuff I just started putting it on the suitcases at random.

"Hey, we were all outsiders before we got in. You just have to let the dust sit for a while." I closed my eyes at that. Was that really it? Just give it more time? "I know things have being a little tougher for you, but that's just because you can kick any of our asses"

"You can bet on that." I replayed smiling.

"So how about you start being more on the flow kind of girl." He said that doing a little sway of his hips and I just burst out laughing.

"Sure thing bud, I let it flow." He smirked at me. "Tonight, we will go to our drink, and tomorrow I'll call Garcia and we will go on a girls day to buy my essentials."

"Good. And Em, don't give take it seriously what JJ said, she was just in shock and angry. You are a good agent, and I think she just got embarrassed over what happened.

I nodded my head, I wasn't the only one that hear it.

"Oh, and by the way, I'll inspect the furnishing process. Just to make sure it doesn't take the next ten years to get done."

"Fine." I guess I could put up with a few more things if it got me a job I liked and a couple of friends like Morgan and Garcia.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey people how are you?

So, I really like those chapters, and I promised that all the fighting that does not look like it's going somewhere will.

I hope you have fun with this chapter!

* * *

><p>Season 2 Episode 17 = Distress<p>

"Don't be like that Derek" I could hear Penelope's worried voice.

"Oh, I'm not being like that. I'm just saying it's your funeral, because I'm definitely not the one telling Emily." That didn't sound good.

"Tell Emily what?" I asked getting closer to them.

"Oh Hi my dark haired goddess" Garcia had the "I did something horrible face".

"Garcia."

"Ok, it was totally not my fault. She asked and I was just so excited and then she asked to come with us and then…r"

"Garcia, get to the point." This didn't sound good at all.

"I kind of invited Hotch's wife to go with us on our super cool trip."

"YOU WHAT?" Oh God. "Garcia I told you that you couldn't tell anyone, I told you it was just us." Oh God.

"Actually you just told me not to tell anyone else from the team, and technically Hayley isn't on the team."

"Oh baby girl, I would stop right there if I were you."

"Garcia please tell me what could have possibly made you do that?"

"Well I was just so excited when you guys invited me when you got back from Texas." I knew I would regret that.

FLASHBACK:

We were just getting back to the Bureau and Morgan and I had being talking and joking as we walked. Reid had come with us but he had stalked in front of us not even acknowledging our presence.

He was having a hard time with what happened to him in Atlanta, but how that became something specifically against me I had no idea. I bet blondie was

whispering in his ear…

Don't go there Emily, you can't know that and creating enemies this early was not good, just let it go.

We got to our tables and since we still had the whole day in the office we all started on our paperwork so we could leave early. After a few hours just working quietly I called Morgan over to my side.

"Hey, what are you doing next Saturday?" I asked.

"Nothing, yet. Why?" He was already smirking. "Wanna tempt me with some plans?"

"Not that kind of plans, pervert." He was such a kid sometimes. "There is a new Navy and army museum opening in Norfolk next Saturday, and they say it's going to be awesome, really big and with a lot of interactive things and history and I really wanted to go. What do you say? "

"Ok, might be fun!" After a few seconds he looked at me and I knew what was coming. "We could…"

"Yes to Garcia, but that is it."

"Deal. Let's go tell her in her office, otherwise she will scream in the middle of the bullpen and then everyone will know."

"That's a good idea."

END of FLASHBACK.

"Well, after I left the BAU to go home I stopped at the grocery store to get some things, and Mrs. Hotchner was there and she had little Jack, and he was so cute, he was wearing this super man costume and…"

I raised an eyebrow at Garcia's distractions techniques.

"And you don't care about that. Right. So we started talking and she was saying that Jack had being too attached to Hotch and that was why it was getting harder to take him out of the house when Hotch was there, even if Hotch would go to the park Jack wouldn't have much fun, so she was looking for something to distract him….." She stopped and looked at me.

"And that is about the time my mouth went faster then my brain and I talked about our little super fun travel plans, and one thing led to another and I invited the three Hotchner's to go with us." She looked guilty.

"Garcia I…it was suppose to be just us. Remember? " It wasn't my fault most of the team's members didn't like me, now I had to feel bad about not inviting the rest.

"I know and I promise I did not invite her just so we had to invite the rest. We don't have to invite the rest, because I didn't say who was coming to Hayley, I just told her I was going with friends." Good.

"Ok, then I'm not going." I responded.

"Oh no! You are totally going. Because if you don't go, then I won't go, and then if Garcia doesn't have any friends to show to Hayley she will know something is up" Derek stated.

"Ok, ok. But you owe me one Penelope. A big one." Saturday was going to be hell.

"I'm really sorry Em, I never thought she would actually get interested."

Penelope was sweet, but sometimes I really wanted to murder the woman. Just like when she decided to tell Derek we were leaving a bit early because I needed to go lingerie shopping, most embarrassing moment of my BAU career to this day, and he wouldn't let me forget it.

"It's fine. Let's just hope cranky over there decides he doesn't want to go." I really hope he decides not to go.

"Doesn't want to go where?" And look who shows up at the worst time ever.

"I just found Emily a few places to look at and she was telling us that her dad doesn't want to go. Well actually he can't go, right Em?" Garcia elbowed her.

"Right! He is in Russia I think, maybe Ukraine, I can't remember where he said he was going." I tried covering it up.

"So, do you need someone to go with you. You don't know the city, so it's best that one of us go with you." Agent Hotchner commanding tone showed up.

"Morgan was just offering right?" I smiled sweetly at him.

"Right. We will go after work this week." He was so not enjoying this. "How many places again Garcia?"

"Around 8!"

"Great." I smiled at Garcia.

"Oh and Garcia, Hayley told me about Saturday plans. We will certainly like to go, what time are we leaving?" Ohh cranky bastard is going.

"Around eight?" Was that Garcia's new favorite phrase, or was she just as shocked as Morgan's open mouth and me?

"We will meet you at your house to leave from there."

* * *

><p>Friday afternoon found me and Morgan looking at yet another apartment. This looked like a very posh apartment, it had a doorman, I never lived anywhere by myself with a doorman.<p>

"This looks nice." Morgan said while we where on the elevator.

"Yup."

As we got in to the apartment I thought about my last place, I liked there, I used to feel comfortable. But here, I felt home. I liked the view on the old one, it had a park near and I could see the threes and the people, and at night I could hear the wind.

In here I had the view of the Washington monument something that always made me thought of my parents. And the place looked like an adult's apartment. My last place looked like a college student princess.

It was amazing. It had a kitchen in dark wood and totally well done, the leaving room was spacious and on the upstairs floor were two bedrooms and a little office.

But what really got to me was the walk in closet, which woman could resist a walk in closet like that?

"I see that you found the closet" Morgan whispered in my ear, startling me. He had walked me through the do's and don'ts of renting a place, and getting excited about something was a don't.

"Tell me about this one! Please tell me it has all the tactical crap you all think I should think about."

"Yes, it does have all that, and it's around your weird budget, according to Garcia, so calm down." Morgan laughed at me.

"Well on my last place I decided I didn't want to pay too much on rent and look where that got me. So I decided that I wanted a bigger, better and adult apartment"

"Adult apartment?"

"All the places I lived by myself looked like a college student place, or a single woman waiting to move out place. I do own a couple places that I rent out, but that was my dad's and he just passed it to my name and made me accept it." I really was a daddy's little girl, I know. But I had never spent the money I got from those places, so I had enough saved. "So I decided to invest in my next place".

"So you want to buy it?" He asked surprised

"I sent my dad the information and he told me that three of the places we saw this week were good properties to own and this was one of them. He said that if I liked it and if my friend gave the ok on the technical stuff I should." I explained.

"So, what do you think?"

"Maybe I should get this one. Dad always said I should invest in places like this. Invest in places you like so you can have the pleasure of owning and taking care it." I said quoting my dad.

"I think it has all it takes to be a good place, nice neighborhood, good alarm system, a doorman, it's close enough to stores for emergencies but not enough that you will be bother by noises or anything." How did he know all that?

"Basically if you don't get this one, I might."

"So you think it's a good one?"

"What are you so worried about? I saw your face when we got here, you like it. And I'm telling you it has what it takes, the price is fair, the location is good, it's a good one."

"It's just I never made a decision like this one. This is big. I always rented single bedrooms that I never spent much time in." I just never had to buy a place, I never stayed too long somewhere. I guess now is different I want to stay here.

"Oh and Em, you haven't seen the Jacuzzi yet."

"The what?" Was he joking?

* * *

><p>"Ok, so how are you feeling after just buying something?" Morgan asked as he took a sip of his beer.<p>

"I guess I'm ok. I didn't really spend my money, It was all from my parent's place. I never used the money because I felt guilty that I had rich parents, and now I spent it all at once." Weird that I felt this calm having just gone through so much money in just one signature.

"I guess it pays off to have loaded parents huh?"

"It does when they feel guilty you spent most of your life without seeing, hearing or being with them. When I was nine my dad was on a assignment and my mother was relocated, I spent eight months without being with either of them." That had being a cool year, to get rid of the guilt they sent me on a world tour with four different nannies, and teachers to be homeschooled, well not really, since I wasn't home, but anyway.

"I'm sorry, but that sucks Em."

"Yes it did. I guess I don't feel that guilty because I used the money to get something they never gave me. A home." And thinking about that made me a little sad, I never had childhood friends, I never had a house with memories, I never had a place I could said was a safe port for me. "Ok, I think we need to get something stronger, I want scotch." Derek looked at me and started laughing.

"Ok, let's go all out little missy."

* * *

><p>I woke up with something calling me. Wait not calling, singing. Not singing, what was that? I tried moving around, apparently I fell asleep on someone's stairs, I think I'll regret this in the morning, but right now I'm still too drunk to care.<p>

I reach for the very weird singing object that apparently is a phone just to step on something on the floor and fall face first on the floor. Good God, I don't feel so good.

"What?"

"Who is this?"

"Who is calling?"

"Emily?"

"Yes?"

After a few minutes of silence I see Morgan coming over, and I dropped the phone, oh god my stomach is really pissed at me right now.

"Hey, you ok?"

"I don't feel so good."

"Well you shouldn't have gone for the scotch bottle after the beers. I mean damn woman, I've never seen a woman drink like that and keep her pants on"

"The pants stay on, but the contents of my stomach are starting to argue with that logic, so point the bathroom before both of us regret our drinking excursion. " I was already up and trying to get my legs to work until I got to the bathroom.

After puking for about fifteen minutes Morgan helped me back to the couch.

"How did we get here? And better yet why was I sleeping on the stairs" I asked.

" You were sleeping on the stairs? God I woke up in the kitchen floor. And you decided you didn't want to go all the way back to the hotel at one in the morning when you would have to be back here at six for our little trip." OH FUCK.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no."

"Oh yes."

"Morgan I can't go on a trip with my boss and his family half drunk."

"It's going to be better by the time we have to leave."

"I'll be hung over. You can't do this to me."

"Princess I'm a very weird drunk, and so I'm not going to remember half of our conversation and will be just as hung over, so no worries, we will make asses out of ourselves together just fine."

"I'm going to kill Garcia."

"Again the idea of the scotch bottle was yours."

"But not the "let's celebrate you new place by getting smashed."" He at least had the decency of blushing.

"Come on, to the guest bedroom with you, we still have three more hours of sleep that I intend to enjoy." And then he proceeded to walk right into the wall

"Shit, are you ok."

"Yeah. I won't feel a thing until the morning." I recalled the phone call

"Oh, why does your phone is that weird?"

"My sister gave it to me as a joke, it's a jukebox and each time it rings it's a different song." Ha, that is a strange thing to find in his house."Wait, did the phone ring?"

"I guess, I think it was a woman. I don't remember much."

"I'm never drinking with you again."

"I second that." We helped each other upstairs and I didn't even feel my head hit the pillow.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know this is a long chapter, but it's a good one!**

**I wanted to thank the reviews and dedicate this chapter:**

**Mary rest in peace, we will always love you.**

**Thanks for reading.**

* * *

><p>Season 2 Episode 17 = Distress (follows chapter 9, not a new episode)<p>

I'm going to kill Morgan eventually. Or get killed by him.

I slept for maybe three hours and had being throwing up since I woke up. But actually it wasn't that bad. Morgan had given her a pill telling her it would make the "tomorrow effects" of the drinking better. What the hell was that? Was it legal?

Morgan showed up in the bathroom looking like shit, I guess as much as me.

"What did you gave me last night?"

"It's a liver medicine, it make's the next morning experience better right?"

"It freaking does. And I'm glad it's legal." My head finally came out of the toilet for good. Nothing else was coming out.

"I'm going to get ready, call Penelope and tell her we will be late, then we are going to your hotel, get you ready and finally go to this weird as hell trip."

"It really is, isn't it? A trip from hell."

"Well, looking at the bright side, you aren't homeless anymore."

"Don't remind me, I'm still trying to take it in…Slowly." Morgan cracked up at that.

"I'm taking a shower, care to join me?" Gosh, he was such a weird joker.

"Dream on buddy. I'm getting food. A greasy one at that." I got up and went to the sink, he had already taken a new toothbrush out for me.

"Your loss. I have chips in the cupboards, let's get a real breakfast at the restaurant."

"We sure will. "

* * *

><p>"Derek freaking Morgan I am going to murder you!"<p>

"I know, I know." I laughed at Morgan's face as he talked on the phone with Garcia. I was finishing breakfast and he was talking to Penelope on the phone, and boy was she pissed.

"We just need one more hour Pen, I'm taking Emily to her hotel, she will get ready and we will go." He decided to do the call on speaker phone so she could yell at both of us, but apparently since I was homeless she decided Morgan was the one at fault.

"How the hell did the both of you thought it was a good idea to go drinking last night? With this goddamn trip today? Did you realize that I'll be the one to stay here awkwardly with my boss's family waiting for you?" I did not envy her, at all. Well at least he liked her, I didn't have the same experience.

"Baby girl, we are sorry."

"Hey Pen, I'm sorry, we won't do it again, but please don't tell anyone, and please don't say anything about hangover."

"I cannot believe you are going to make me stay here alone with the Hotchner's."

"Well if you hadn't bladed you didn't have to, right?" This was a low one, but I was still pissed at that, weekends were sacred, they had to be spent away from cranky, judgmental people. And that is why Blondie was not invited.

"I said I was sorry."

"We really didn't plan this to get even, and I promise to be quick."

"Ok, let me get out now, they are here. Wish me luck."

"I do, because you are going to need it."

* * *

><p>We got to Penelope's house and I really wanted to duck inside the car. There was still time to back out. I could live without a working computer, because Penelope sure as hell wouldn't forgive me.<p>

"We are not driving off, come on, Penelope will crash all of our technology items if we don't get out now, especially because they all saw us, well me since you insist on being down there." Morgan parked the car and looked at me.

"I'm looking for something." I insisted.

"Yes, your pride. Now let's go." Morgan opened the door and started getting out of the car. "Don't make me go over there to get you."

I straighten up, got my purse and left the car.

"Hey!" Morgan said as he and I got close to the party of people I could see everyone minus Penelope looked surprised at seeing us.

"Hey guys, we didn't know you were the ones coming." Hayley tried to make it less weird.

"Oh, I didn't mention that?" Penelope really needed to step up her poker face.

"No, you did not." See, cranky ass.

"Hi" Oh My God, the kid is cute.

"Hello." I decided to talk to the kid, he wasn't as loud as the others. He smiled a big smile at me. "What is your name?"

"Tell her your name sweetie" Hayley was holding him.

"I Jack."

"Hi Jack, I'm Emily. Nice to meet you." I patted his hair, he had the softest hair ever. He giggled and hid his face in his mother's shoulder. "He is really cute."

"Thanks."

"So, how are we going to do this?" I tuned the conversation off and stepped away pretending to look for something on my purse, my head was not my friend today.

"Well we should get back in the car soon, I don't want to get there too late." Great way of cutting the conversation short and getting back to the car so I could sleep it off.

"Ok, Prentiss and Garcia and I will take one car and you can follow us Hotch. Emily has the address on her GPS."

"How about we take only one car, on the trunk of ours we have two more seats." Oh please no.

"It's fine Mrs. Hotchner, we can take my car too." Morgan desperately tried for my sake.

"Come on guys, it's the weekend, you don't need to call us Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner, we have a first names, even if Aaron forgets it sometimes." She argued pointing at her husband.

"Sorry, but I'm sticking with Hotch." Morgan replied grimacing.

"Me too, sorry." Garcia agreed. I didn't have anything to say, after all I was still on the Agent Hotchner or SIR name base.

"I guess I can't win this one, huh?"

"Can we stop at a seven eleven? I need more coffee." and headache pills.

"Oh, we sure can princess." Morgan was of course in need of the same items.

"Ohhh I can get a French Vanilla Iced Coffee"

"Sure Pen, whatever you want."

We got back into the car and drove to the seven eleven, Penelope had sweetly offer to drive, since she knew Morgan and I were about useless. As we got there Hotch and Morgan decided to be the manly men and get gas as us girls got the necessities. I got off the car and went to look for our much needed items.

I had about everything I needed hangover speaking when I decided to get doughnuts for everyone and magazines. I was walking to the doughnuts stand when I felt my jeans leg being pulled. When I looked down I saw cute brown eyes and blond hair.

"Jack, does mommy know you came here?" He shook his head.

"Hey Hayley, Jack and I are going to get doughnuts ok?" I shouted to the woman who was with Penelope getting iced coffees. Hearing the ok I got Jack in one arm and the basket in the other, if he could get away that easily I wanted to get three steps ahead of the cute little boy.

"So what type of doughnuts do you like Jack?" He didn't look bother by the fact that I picked him up.

"Choco'ate" Which I guess is chocolate.

"Me too, what do you think about we getting everybody some chocolate doughnuts for the trip?" He enthusiastically nodded his head.

"YES!"

I started getting our treats and he proceeded to blab while he played with my shirt and my hair. After getting two separate bags I decided that Magazines for me and a coloring book for Jack were a good idea.

After getting magazines that would interest Penelope, Morgan and me, and some for Jack to be distracted I started heading back to the cashier when I saw little Jack eyeing some chips.

"You want one of those?" I asked and he nodded shyly.

"Let's do like this, we can get a small pack if you let mom decided when you can have it, can you do that for me?" I knew that it was a long shot, but hey the kid was cute.

"Yes."

"Ok then big man, let's go pay for all of this." The girls were still in line to get the coffees and I was yawning every five seconds, so I just paid for my stuff and got their attention and said I would go to the cars with Jack.

When I got close to the car I could hear Morgan and Hotch talking.

"No, I'm not sleeping with Prentiss." What the fuck?

"I just wanted to know Morgan, don't take it the wrong way." What other way could it be taken when your boss goes snooping around your sex life.

"JJ had no right to go talk to you just because Emily answered my phone, yes she was at my house, and yes she slept there, but that was all that she did." I really had to have a good conversation with Blondie.

"She didn't meant it that way, I'm sure"

"Oh really, she had good intentions? I'm sure the same good ones when she dished Emily to our boss in the middle of the Tobias Hankel case while Reid was still missing." Hotch looked surprised Morgan knew about that.

"I knew Prentiss was upset about that, but it was unprofessional to…" And my weekend just got a lot worse.

"She didn't man, I heard it, who didn't, with both of you accusing her of…"

"Leave it alone Morgan." I interrupted.

"Prentiss I.."

"Leave it." I didn't even look at him. "Can you open the car door so I can put Jack in his seat." He tried getting the bags but I was pissed damn it, so I just raised one eyebrow and he decided not to fight me.

"Can Emmy dive here?" I was surprised with the question, and from the look of the other so were they.

"I'm going to drive with Derek, but we will see you at the museum okay bud? Here are the books you choose, and I'll give the food to mommy okay?" I put him in his seat and left Agent Hotchner to finish getting him set.

"Em.."

"Leave it Morgan, we will talk in the car." Garcia and Hayley came back and soon noticed the awkward silence.

"Here, I thought doughnuts were a good snack for the trip, and Jack asked for the chips, but agreed to eat when you decide." I handed the things to Hayley.

"Let me pay you for…."

"No need sir." I just turned my back and headed to the other car.

* * *

><p>"Emily I'm really sorry." So we were doing this.<p>

"Morgan, leave it alone."

"Oh no my super agent, I want to know what happened before we got there, because believe me, Mrs. Hotchner is doing the exactly same thing as me." Great.

"Apparently JJ called last night and Emily answered, so JJ decided to tell Hotch. What she thought she would accomplish with that is beyond me." Morgan wasn't happy ether, and that is what I was trying to avoid.

"I'm sorry Morgan."

"You don't have to apologize, I invited you in to my home, she shouldn't be gossiping to the boss like a snitch."

"Look, let's just forget this, otherwise the whole trip will be a fiasco. I'll think about what to do later." As if I would really do that, I just wanted people to forget about it. I was so embarrassed, my boss thinks I'm an unprofessional gossip who sleeps with the co-workers and whines about it to others.

"Em, what do you mean what you are going to do about it? Please don't tell me you are going to leave ?" Garcia looked horrified and Morgan spooked.

"You can't do that, I know JJ is not this bad person. I don't know what has got into her, and why she is acting like this towards you, but you can't leave."

"I won't, but I'm getting to the bottom of this." Maybe. "Come on, I bought magazine's and chocolate doughnuts, and chips. Let's do what we wanted to do from the beginning and have a good time."

* * *

><p>"We here mommy, we here Emmy!" Jack half yelled, half said while jumping up and down.<p>

"Yes we are, what do you want to see first?" I asked as he got closer to me. We had stopped side by side and while the Hotchner's took the stroller and diaper bag out of the car Jack came to me.

"Panes Emmy, you hafto see panes wif me." He put his two little arms up for me to hold him, and I was quick to follow his command, after all if I have the kid, cranky bastard won't try to talk to me.

"Sure we can." I put him down when he started wiggling and he ran back to his parents, as soon as both of them looked at me, I decided it was time to start walking to get my ticket.

After we got in we all looked into the main room together, and then Jack wanted to go to the kid's activity center and Morgan wanted to see the simulator and so we just naturally split up.

After almost 2 hours it was already lunchtime and I went to the food court to get some lunch, but I wasn't prepared to the little ball that hit me in the legs crying.

"Jack?" I could see Hayley coming with a smile on her face.

"You pomised Miss Emmy." I looked at Hayley for an explanation; I had no idea what the little crying boy meant.

"He said you promised to go see the planes with him, and so he wouldn't go with me and Aaron, and when we came to have lunch he wanted to wait for you." Ohh, that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard.

"Jack, I haven't seen the planes yet either. I waited for you." He looked up at me. "How about we get some lunch and then go see the planes?" He started nodding and put his arms up for me to get him.

"You are really good with him, do you have kids?"

"No, not yet. But I really like kids" I rubbed my hand on Jack's back while he calmed down. "What do you want to eat?"

"Old McDonald?" I laughed at the way he called the restaurant.

"Old McDonalds it is." I started walking to the place.

"You don't have to eat there with him. We will just get his food and take it to where Aaron is. Morgan and Garcia are there also." Uhg, they were just waiting for me?

"It's fine."

After getting Jack's happy meal we got to the table, and Jack wanted to sit between his mother and me. So after rearranging everybody we finally sat down to eat.

"So you guys went to look for apartments this week, anything interesting?" Why does he think I want to talk to him?

"No."

"Yes"

Morgan and I said at the same time. We looked at each other and before things got weird I decided to intervene.

"We looked at some interesting ones, but I haven't made a decision yet." I looked at down at the menu.

"Prentiss, look I know that it sounded like I was talking about you…." But he was interrupted before he could say something.

"Not now Aaron"

"Leave it Agent Hotchner."

Morgan and Penelope looked like they wanted to be anywhere but at the table, and I was starting to fell the same way.

"Prentiss you don't need to call me Agent Hotchner, Hotch is fine." No way in hell.

"Understood sir." And he looked a little angry at that. And for some reason I was very please with it.

I ordered my food and kept playing with Jack, he was a cutie and very polite. The others would try to include me in conversation, but I really just wanted to get out of there. Who tries to apologize for embarrassing someone by doing it in front of a table full of people, was the man clueless?

After lunch I did as I had promised and went to see the planes with Jack. He stayed with me the whole exhibit and I told him a few stories I knew about planes, by the time I realized one hour had passed, the little boy in my arms was asleep and I couldn't find anyone.

So I decided to go sit down at the entrance and try to call Morgan or Penelope. I sat down and before I could get my phone out, Agent Hotchner decided to show up.

"There you are, I went back to the planes but you had already left. Hayley and Penelope are at the gift shop and Morgan is talking to a girl." I rolled my eyes at that, only Morgan would pick up a girl in circumstances like this.

"So…" He started by I had no intention of making things easier for him. "I'm sorry."

I didn't respond.

"We have to talk about this, this situation you created…"

"I created?" Did he really just say that? "Because what happened was that unfortunately Garcia invited Mrs. Hotchner, actually that is not true, because she is wonderful, and Jack is one of the most pleasant kids I have ever seen.

But you agent, are as much insulting and disrespectful as an agent as you are as a man." I was going to get all that was bottled up out, that is what he wanted right? "You have undermined me, ridiculed me, and made it clear I didn't belong, You don't like me, fine. You don't like that I have influent parents, fine"

"I didn't mean.." He tried to get a word in, but I didn't let him, he had said enough.

"You want to get me out of the team, fine. You want to make campaign with your bosses to get me out of the freaking FBI, I don't really care. But I know I do a good job, I was born for this unit and until now I have not let anything or anyone convince me of the opposite." I took a deep breath and decided to continue.

"But you know what, I getting sick and tired of yours and Miss Jereau games around here. She wants to whisper in everyone's ears and spread her rumors, and you sir, encourages her." He looked surprised at that.

"Now that maybe the kind of politics games you like to play agent Hotchner but I'm only here because of the job that I like and of the abilities I have."

"Agent Prentiss I know your start in the BAU was hard, and mostly because of me. But I can't be blamed for questioning a file that is so clearly masked as yours." Son of a bitch.

"So that is all this is about? The fact that you don't have clearance enough to get to my whole file? You are actually offended by that aren't you? That is pathetic." I stood up as I saw Hayley getting close to us with Garcia and Morgan a few feet behind her.

"Here is Jack, he didn't last the whole exhibition, he is a wonderful little boy Hayley. I'm going to go now, you guys enjoy the rest of your day." I went to get my purse from the bench I was sitting on.

"Prentiss wait."

"Please tell Jack I enjoyed spending the day with him."

"Em, wait, I'll take you back."

"Thanks Morgan, but no thanks." I turned around and fled before anything else could be said.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys, how are you?**

**So this is going to be a little different, I hope you like it.**

**So Guest asked if I was doing the revel of the interpol past earlier. I don't know, but I don't think so.**

**I do have some ideas for latter episodes, but nothing to do with that yet.**

**I hope you like it.**

* * *

><p>Season 2 Episode 18 = Jones<p>

Getting to work on Monday was interesting. As I stood in the elevator of the BAU I was thinking that I had to talk to JJ, to Derek, to.. well basically all the parties involved on the weekend fiasco needed to be addressed, and boy was I not in the mood.

And to top it off I had a lot of missed calls from a friend from London. Jenny and I meet when I went to do the preparatory undercover lessons for Interpol. She wasn't a agent, just a friend I met in the city and ended up staying in touch after Interpol.

I had given her my mother's phone after leaving London, and she had given me hers. She knew I was doing some police training, but that was all, so for her to have called my mother and then me, it was strange.

I hadn't had time to call her back, but I would try to today, as I left the elevator and got close to my desk Morgan said.

"Don't get comfortable, we already have a case, and they are in the conference room." Looks like talking will be left for a latter date.

And after another embarrassing moment with Doctor Spencer Reid I wanted to get on a hole and die, could he be a little less hostile in front of everybody, because when we were alone I already new he could be a little vicious.

My phone started to ring, so I got up and stepped away from all the other agents and into the little kitchen area.

"Prentiss."

"Emily, thank God, it's Jenny."

"Hey, I'm sorry I missed so many of your call, is everything alright?"

"Oh, I'm the one who is sorry for basically stalking you, haven't talked in three years and then starts calling like a lunatic." We both laugh. God was it good to speak with someone that you knew you could trust. She was a sweet girl that had even given me a place to stay in my first days in London, no questions asked.

"I actually need a favor."

"For you anything." She had kept me in a heated apartment when my place had being below zero for weeks because of problem in the central heating of the building.

"My cousin Liam, he got transferred to D.C. And I remember you said your mother lived there, so I was wondering if you knew enough about the city to give him a little tips and all that. He got there on Thursday and is a little lost."

"No problem at all, I actually live in D.C. now and I would love to give him a tour around." I offered, if he was anything like her I would have a good time, she was one of the funniest people I have ever come across, and if he wasn't at least I would spend some time with someone outside the BAU. "Just give him my number and ask him to call me, I'm away on a case for the next few days but we can schedule something."

I could see agent Gideon coming closer so I ended the call quickly. Now I had to be on agent Prentiss mode, I just hope Reid and I can work without any arguments this time, I had a feeling we were going to get paired off a lot in the next cases.

* * *

><p>Just as we were getting on the plane back to Virginia I got a call from a unknown number.<p>

"Prentiss."

"Ok, I really hope this is the right number. My name is Liam Jones and I'm Jenny Jones cousin. She said I could call."

"Hey, I've being waiting for your call" I could see Morgan's face and new this was going to cost me, I started getting away from the rest of them.

"Good, last time she made me call the ambassador's house without telling me and I almost killed her." Gosh only Jenny would do that to a guy.

"I can very well imagine she would do something like that." He started laughing, he had a nice voice.

"So, do you think you can try and show me something around here? I mean, not that London is the most organized place in the world, but D.C. is insane, I've gotten lost more times then I can count already." Poor guy.

"I'm getting back to D.C. today actually, so how about lunch?"

"Jenny didn't say you were away, I'm going to kill that girl." I could hear him muttering on the other side of the line.

"Liam, it's fine, my job involves traveling a lot, so I'm used to it, so for me lunch it's perfect." I said laughing a bit.

"Ok then, I work at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, do you know it?"

"Yes I do, I'll get you around 2 PM for a late lunch, is that ok?"

"Of course, thank you very much Miss Prentiss."

"Not at all, and please call me Emily. I'll see you latter."

"I'll see you soon Emily.

I got back to my seat besides Morgan and he was looking at me, I pretended not to notice. Then as I look up I saw that everyone was looking at me, not just Morgan.

"What?"

"Please call me Emily." Morgan mocked me.

"So?"

"Someone got a hot date today."

"No, I'm going a friend a favor. Now drop it."

"And does that favor involves…" Before Morgan could finish he was interrupted by agent Gideon

"Someone doesn't know when to stop" I slapped his head just for good measure and we all laughed.

"I'm just showing a friend's cousin around D.C., I mean he doesn't know anyone, just got transferred here and is a little lost. And no, I'm not telling him where he should get an apartment, we've being over the fact that I'm pants at that." That got another round of laugher.

I got up and went to get a cup of coffee; I was sure going to need it if I wanted to be on my game at lunch. Not that anything was going to happen, but it was nice to be prepared, after all he did sound good.

And you suddenly realize that you haven't had a good date in a long while when you get excited by a guys voice, I'm getting pathetic

"Hey." I looked behind me surprised to find Reid, since I was a little pissed with what happened, I decided to get out before he could start a fight.

"I'm just getting a coffee and I'll get out of your way." I finish getting a cup and started to get back to my seat.

"No, wait. I mean, look, I know I've being an ass around you lately and I know you think you didn't do anything to cause it."

"So I did something to cause it?" I tried thinking about it, but I it had being thinking for weeks now, and in all this time I had no idea of a single thing I had done that could have made him just dismiss me like he had being doing.

"Not exactly." I raised one eyebrow at that. " Come sit with me at the end of the plane and I'll explain.

After sitting down with my coffee I stared at him and waited for what he had to say.

"Ok, so I have a problem interacting with people, and the very few people that do interact with me know how to, let's say handle me. And since the beginning you knew it too, and I just started seeing you as someone that would stay."

He looked embarrassed about all that.

"But then we heard that you had being living in a barely done apartment, with a coffee machine being called furniture, and I guess in my brain you just turned into someone that would leave."

"Reid, I don't know what to say." Oh God, he had abandonment issues, and I probably made it a lot worse. "I just moved so much that I was used to not get attached to things, so for me not having furniture meant just less things to clean up and less to worry about."

"You don't really have to explain yourself to me, I was the wrong one to treat you like that for no reason."

"Reid, I want to explain, because I would like to consider you my friend. I know I usually don't share much but I want to change that. I found a place you know, it's in a nice place in D.C. according to Morgan and I am going to buy furniture. I want to make it a home." We both smiled at that.

"That's good, you know 35% of woman at your age don't really know if they want to settle down or if they want an adventurous lifestyle, which is not that big since around twenty year old girls the percentage is around 65%."

"My age Dr. Reid?"

"What I meant was…"

"Reid, just don't man, just don't" Morgan and I started laughing at him…

I guess we were all going to be ok.

* * *

><p>As we got to the BAU Morgan decided to be forward, at first he would look at me and then at JJ, and I ignored him.<p>

After a while he would look at me and point his head in JJ's direction, since she had decided to share a desk with Spencer and do reports in our common area, I pretended not to notice.

And finally he asks me to accompany him to the break room, yes Morgan because that is very subtle.

"So…" I asked.

"You know exactly what, when are you talking to JJ?"

"Not now, maybe at the end of the day."

"Why, this is getting ridiculous, you barely even talk."

"We are fine Morgan, you are the one who's uncomfortable with it. And I'm not saying I'm not going to talk to her, I'm just saying not now."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to have a possible fight right before a date."

"I thought you said it wasn't a date"

"And I thought I told you to leave it alone."

"So, what's his name?" I started walking away.

"Oh no, no way in hell we are having this conversation"

"What conversation? Do I need to talk to you about the birds and the bees."

"Uhh hot date tonight princess of the dark?" Garcia just had to get here now.

"Not tonight, apparently prince charming can't wait until the darkness comes, and is stilling her for lunch." Morgan was so not funny, especially saying that in front of Garcia, Reid and JJ.

"Where do you get this stuff? You know what, I don't want to know. I'm going to have lunch." I walked out before the jokes could start.

* * *

><p>After parking my car and walking around the front of the hospital I decided to sit down on a bench and call Liam.<p>

"Dr. Jones"

"Hello Doctor, you ready for lunch."

"Emily. Hi. Hello. I'm just getting to the lobby, you near by?"

"I'm just outside." I saw a dark haired man get out of the hospital doors dressed in a jeans and a black trench coat, and I was suddenly very happy that I stopped in the bathroom to change my shirt and put more make up on.

"Emily." He was a good head taller then me, and so he leaned down and kissed my cheek, he wasn't as muscular as Derek but looked like he carried some good muscles.

"So, you ready to go?" I was a bit out of words, after all a profiler had to analyze things, but the only word my brain was coming up with was yummy.

"Of course. How was your trip?"

"It was fine, we were just coming back from New Orleans."

"Really? What is it that you do?" And that is the million dollar question right?

"I'm an FBI agent, BAU."

"Really?! My brother works for MI5 and my younger sister is looking forward to join in."

"How many brothers and sister do you have?" Ok family in police service is a good point for him, after all that means he knows how the lifestyle is.

"I have two brothers and two sisters." He said chuckling. "Mom and dad wanted a big family."

"That must have being great, I'm an only child, so it was pretty quiet growing up."

"Oh we never had quiet at my family, Mom and dad are Italians and decided to raise five children in London. We all got into a lot of trouble." He told me with a smile on his face and I could see he loved his family very much, and was probably very close to most of them, if not all. His phone beeped, and he looked at it.

"Do you have to go in?" I was actually sad, he was a very good company and lunch looked promising.

"Nope, I just asked for follow ups on a few patients and the nurses text me, I don't have any urgent patients right now, so only if an emergency coming in I'm all yours. For lunch." He smiled and put his phone away.

"Come on, let's eat before you really get called in." As we started walking to my car I smiled to myself, this looked like it would turn out a dinner date, maybe. If I was lucky.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey people how are you?**

**So this one is fun, at least I think so.**

**I hope you like it.**

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><p>Season 2 Episode 19 = Ashes and Dust<p>

As we left the conference room and were walked downstairs I heard my name being called, I turned and saw agent Hotchner.

"Prentiss, I want you with me."

"You sure you want to take Prentiss to the burnt unit?" Agent Gideon asked.

"Yes" He didn't elaborate, and I could very well guess that it was not going to be something that I would easily forget. "Come with me." He said looking at me.

I followed him to his office, where he got his things, and then we were off. As we drove to the hospital he started talking.

"Have you ever being to a burnt unit?"

"No, sir."

"This won't be a easy one agent, to this day I think those are the hardest interviews we have to do, physically and emotionally for both us and the victims." Yes, it was going to be as bad as I imagine.

"Understood sir."

"I want you with me, but if you feel you need to leave, please do, it's important not to put the victim through anymore…" He stopped at that. "There are always big chances that we will be the last they will ever see, and so, in my opinion, it's best that we do it as comfortably as possible." God.

"I understand sir. If I may say sir, thank you for bringing me."

"You may change your mind after the interview is over."

* * *

><p>After calling agent Gideon and telling him all that the victim could remember I got myself back together and went inside the room again. I did not know how I felt over the fact that agent Hotchner decided to lie to a dying woman, but I could see how the circumstances would demand that decision out of him.<p>

When I walked inside he looked over at me.

"See Mrs. Cutler, agent Prentiss already talked to your husband and son, they will wait until you are ready." He looked at me and continued. "In the mean while Prentiss and I will wait with you."

* * *

><p>It didn't take long, maybe twenty minutes or half an hour and she was gone. I started to fell the tears that had being threatening to fall star to come down my face so I quickly left the room and went to the bathroom. After getting myself back together I started going to the car where I thought agent Hotchner would be, I was surprised to find him waiting for me at the door of the female bathroom.<p>

"How are you?"

"I'm fine sir, I'm sorry about that."

"You did well Prentiss, I've had that couldn't even stay in the room long enough to get their names out." That would certainly said FBI finest. "You did your job and was able to help me comfort the victim until it was need, that is all I can ask from an agent in a situation like this."

I looked up surprised at his kind words "Thank you."

As we were about to leave for the car a nurse came to talk to us.

"Agents, Mrs. Cutler's sister is on her way to the hospital as we speak, she would like to talk to one of you if possible." I knew agent Hotchner wanted to go back to the station as soon as possible to get the profile out, so I stepped up.

"If you would like it sir, I can stay while you get back to the station, I'll talk to the sister and meet you there as soon as I can." I wasn't sure if I was asking permission or telling him, but either way he accented and went on his way.

* * *

><p>Being partnered with agent Hotchner was not a normal occurrence for me yet, but definitely not while on a case with so many children's death as this one, and we could all see how it was affecting him. He was angry, unstable.<p>

But at the same time he was focused, and being new to this side of the older agent I did not know in what way things would end.

And to top it off it was a lot weird to hear your boss and his wife have a "discussion". I guess any type of intimate conversation between him and anyone would freak me out. I knew agent Hotchner, that was it... And I sure as hell would keep it like that.

He had being reluctant to answer the call, but she had tried a few times and he ended up giving up. Just like him I would never call anyone on a personal level in front of team mates, so I told Liam he could only text me while I was away, no way of knowing when I would be alone. But the rules things changed when you were married and had a kid.

We spent the whole night watching Mr. Abbey's movements inside his house, by the time morning came I was feeling slightly stiff, the joys of spending almost 20 hours stuck in a SUV.

* * *

><p>After hearing of the new victim we new that the UNSUB was escalating, we had to find him soon, otherwise worst thing would certainly come. We stopped at the hotel to have a shower, eat something and change our clothes, I looked at the untouched bed and felt more tired then before, so I quickly finished getting ready and went to join agent Hotcher, we had another stalking day ahead of us.<p>

After meeting him at the lobby I could see he was getting more and more involved into the case, he decided both of us should go back to Mr. Abbey's detail so we could study him, the officer who had taken our place hadn't being helpful with details.

* * *

><p>I got to my hotel room in D.C. late that night, way after eleven, and the only thing I could think about was calling my parents, I knew they were both all the way across the world and that Mother and I weren't really on the best terms since our disagreement the last time I went to have lunch with her.<p>

She had the same complains about me working in the FBI, me not being married, and all that, and she had caught me at a bad moment and we fought, so I just left a message for her and dad.

After getting a shower and eating the last piece of shepherd's pie I had left I called Liam.

"Hi Em."

"Hey."

"Long case?"

"You could say that, I didn't sleep last night, so I'm under the covers about to fall asleep."

"I'm sorry Em, do you want to do something tomorrow? I can get you at the office and we can have a nice lunch." I smiled at that, he had gotten a car with GPS and a started studding a Washington map, Jenny had called and said he wanted to be more on his game with me.

"That would be great actually, can we go have ice cream after?" After days of going out to eat together in almost every meal, while I wasn't on a case, I knew we were heading somewhere good.

"Of course, I swear to spoil you tomorrow darling."

"I might get used to it Liam, you always spoils me on our….dates" finished of lamely, we hadn't labeled out our time together yet.

"I like spoiling you Em, and I would like to call them dates. I would also like to call you mine if it was something that you would like." It was endearing how he could be so outspoken and make me blush sometimes, and other times he would be shy and very nervous.

"I would also like that."

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2: Ok, I gave her a Liam, what do you guys think?**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hey guys I hope you enjoy this.

* * *

><p>Season 2 Episode 20 = Honor Among Thieves<p>

How bad of a daughter was I that I didn't even know my mother didn't have an assignment? If dad gone I couldn't leave her like this, even being very distant she was my mother.

"So, I just need to finish my file and give to agent Hotchner and then we can go."

"I'll take the driver and pick you up at the BAU."

"There is no need for that, I have a car."

"And also you don't want me back in your office."

"Well let's just say that you finally compensated the not showing up at school to embarrassed your kid ritual all parents do."

"Don't be so dramatic Emily."

I always thought it was funny how she never had a nickname for me, it was always don't do this Emily, don't do that Emily, so by the time I was six I started calling her Mother, capital M, and ambassador Prentiss to other people.

She wasn't a fan, but dad encouraged, so I kept it up. By the time I was teen I did it because it pissed her off, especially at governments events. And now I just did it because that is what I called her, Mother or ambassador Prentiss.

"Ok, as soon as you get there call me." I said getting to the my car with her accompanying me.

"I'll come in to say hi, you never showed me your desk."

"My desk?"

"Well I just want to be thorough with the embarrassing experience thing." She winked at me and started to walk back to the house. It pissed me off that dad was right; we were way too much alike.

After finishing my report and getting everything sorted out I got my file and went to agent Hotchner's office to hand it over and go to have dinner.

"Sir." I ask knocking on his door.

"Prentiss." He mentioned for me to come in, I could see he was on the phone, so I sat down and waited.

"Yes, it's her." He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'll. Love you too. Bye." He hang up his phone. "Hayley and Jack said hi." He told me seriously.

"I say hi back." I responded wittily. He looked up startled at my joke, I was never like this around him, so I guess it should be off character. "I just want to hand you my file, Ambassador Prentiss wanted me to say thank you for your decision to take the case."

"Okay."

"You don't really know how to act around her do you?" I remember that besides talking about the case he tried to maintain a good distance from her at all times, and even sent me to talk to her.

"Between us, your mother can be a very intimidating woman."

"Really? Did something happen when you were doing her security detail?"

"Let's just say she knew how to put young agents on their feet, and we were reminded of that a few times." I cracked up at that, I knew how my mother could be, so I could guess how things had being, but knowing that my boss was "intimidated" by my mother over things that happened over 15 years ago was a laugh. "Good thing that it can amuse you agent."

"Oh sir, I know how she can be, I just think it's funny she caused that much of an impression."

"She is a remarkable woman."

"Yes, the Russians are still getting over her remarkable being for the looks of it. Can you believe they call me little Emily?" I don't know what made me share, but he was being nice, and since the visit to the burnt unit I decided to patch things up with people.

"Well she probably scares them too." A knock on the door and we looked up to see Reid at the door.

"Em, your mother is at your desk, and she is asking questions." His face was priceless. I got up to leave when Reid interrupted me. "She asked for you too Hotch." I laughed as I left the room, this was going to be fun.

We got to my table and mother was sitting on my chair looking inside my desk drawer.

"Chocolates are on the next one Mother." She looked up, smiled and proceeded to open the next drawer.

"So agent Hotchner, I haven't seen you since you fell into my pool about 15 year ago right?" The whole bullpen went quiet and surprised.

"Yes mam." The pink cheeks were a quite surprising addition to agent Hotchner's face.

"Good times Hotch?" Morgan asked laughing.

"Mother this is agent Morgan, Agent Jeraou, agent Garcia, and agent Reid. I believe agent Gideon already left." I presented the whole team.

"I appreciate all the help on the case."

"It was just our job mam." JJ stated.

"Well we have to go." I decided.

"Already, not even one embarrassing story from Emily?" Morgan asked.

"Well, Emily was never one to have embarrassing moments, after all what can you expect from a four year old that slap the Russian Ambassador and told him she had not giving him permission to kiss her cheek.

After that all the agents cracked up and I was sure ambassador Prentiss need to be removed immediately.

"Are you serious, little Emily was already a kick ass kid, with all due respect mam." Garcia asked between laugher.

"Well he was asking for it, never kiss a lady without her permission." I said with the little pride that was left. "Well Mother, we should get going."

"Thank you all for the hospitality." Mother was always nice to people, until she had to show her claws and you saw her other side. "Oh, and agent Hotchner, I redid the outside area since the last time you were there, maybe you would like to secure the pool again?" We left before mother could take another shot at me ot at the senior profiler.

As soon as our plates were delivered ambassador Prentiss was at my throat.

"So, anything new in your life?"

"Yes, I moved, as I'm sure dad told you." I new where she wanted to get at.

"Yes I heard. I wanted to send you something but your dad told me to wait until you told me to actually buy anything."

"Well then, to be honest I moved because my apartment got broken into."

"Emily, how did you not mention it before? What was taken? Were you hurt?" She could be heartless, but she had more moments of great affection, those were just more controlled then anything.

"It's fine Mother, I wasn't there, and a lot of my personal stuff was taken, and a few things of furniture I had…"

"More on the lines of all the furniture you had, knowing you." I had to smile at that.

"I found a nice place now, and I want you to see it, maybe we can go there tonight?" And I decided to take the initiative and tell her about my around 1 month boyfriend." My boyfriend is helping me finally move in next weekend." I waited for the reaction.

"Boyfriend Emily?"

"Yes, he is a doctor, from London. His name is Liam."

"Does he treat you right?"

"Is this the 18th century? He is nice."

"Well I'm glad then my dear. You always liked imposing mans" Mother chuckled at that.

"Very funny. "

"Your father will be back next week."

"So?"

"He is going to want to meet him dear, you do know your father." And that was her way of saying; you are bringing him to dinner so we will meet him.

"You did ordered the bed and the couch, so we are here to buy what?" Ok, Mr. British was trying to organize our shopping, but he was not aware that besides work, I wasn't the most organized person.

"Ok, no organizing, I look, I like, I buy. Understood?" Liam rolled his eyes at me.

"Emily, that is infuriating, we have to know what you need."

''I lived with 4 pieces of furniture for about 2 months, so I don't NEED anything. I WANT to buy things, so be quiet and let's shop." I smiled at him and we were off with a kart.

"I lived in D.C. for less time then you and I have more furniture then you."

"Quiet honey, today you are just the muscles."

"Sure thing darling." He stole a kiss and pushed the kart forward living me looking at the bedside tables.

"What was that honey?"

"Ok, I'll bow to your superior knowledge of decoration."

"See, that wasn't so hard." I laughed at him.

"But you still don't have enough furniture."

"I want one T.V. and then for today I'm done. I don't really want to buy too much at once." I looked guilty at him, he put his arm around my waist and we started pushing the cart to the check out line.

"Ok, let's go." Sometimes I found incredible how much I enjoyed being this mushy with him, I was never like this. Was it because I was getting old? Or was it him?

As he started to drive off so we could go buy my T.V. I decided to bring up a subject I had being postponing.

"What are you doing on Saturday?"

"I'm on call on Saturday, I have a 36 hours duty. Why?"

"The team is coming to my house for a movie night, that Reid and I are forbidden of choosing of course, so I was just wondering." I was a little relieved that he wasn't coming, and I could not point out to myself why.

"I would've liked to be there. I'm sorry." It still sucked when his schedule would get in the way of our plan, I was used to it being just mine. "So who is all coming?"

"Everyone, except agent Hotch and Gideon." I had finally created a better work relationship with JJ and Hotch

FLASHBACK

Monday came and I got to work early with a resolve in my mind. I was going to fix this with JJ and Hotchner. I think with the male agent things would always be weird but after the events of last week it would be better.

Since I had gotten there so early I went straight to Hotchner's office, and decided to start with a story my mother told me, to break the ice, and also try to make fun of him.

"Good Morning." I knocked on the door.

"Morning Prentiss." I sat down on the chair in front of him and saw him look up from one of the consultation files.

"Sir, I would like to know the story of your so famous security inspection of my mother pool, if you wouldn't mind me asking, of course." I smiled at the pink tone his cheeks got.

"Yes, I'm sure you would." He chuckled a bit.

"Did you actually got scared when she called your name?" I hadn't actually believed her on that, but she didn't divulge anything else.

"We got to the house way earlier then we were suppose to, and the maid had told us to be quiet, that she would be extremely upset if we disturbed her. So I was walking around the pool and I thought I saw something at the bottom of the pool, so I leaned down to look better at it." I smiled at that.

"And that is when she decided to call you and you ended up inside the pool."

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I just prayed that I wouldn't get a ridiculous nickname after that incident. I was relived when the agents on the team decided on Hotch." I snorted at that, Hotch was definitely an easy one compared to what some agents had to endure on the start of their careers.

"Well Hotch, thank you for this very informative story." I saw that he noted that I had called him Hotch, it was time to have a stable work relationship, otherwise things would be difficult for the whole team. I stoop up and walked to the door.

"Prentiss, I would appreciate if this story stayed between us."

"Does that mean no telling Morgan?" I asked smiling.

"Definitely not."

"Understood sir."

"You off to see JJ?" He asked having already gone back to analyzing his file, and throwing me off.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"You seemed like you were on a mission when you got here" He said pointing at his blinds.

"Yes, well, I'm in a forgive and forget kind of mood."

"I think we should all do that from time to time. Some of the misunderstandings in life are just that, and not actually antagonizing ones."

"Well sir, we will see."

Walking to miss Jeraou's office I could hear her on the phone with office La Montagne since the case we had in New Orleans, every single day, but she thought none of us knew.

I knocked on the door as soon as she was done. "Can I come in?"

"Emily! Of course you can."

"We need to talk JJ." Seeing her face at my words I knew she understood me. "I just want to know why, I mean, why all that? Did I do something? Disrespected you?"

"Emily no, I swear not." She took a deep breath. "It wasn't fair to you, at all. Since you got here, you were so put together and ready to face anything that anyone gave you. You had the skills the abilities and the nerves. You were a BAU agent from day one.

I guess I was a little jealous of that. I had to get used to, I am not a profiler, I am mostly here or in the back seat on cases and even then it took me a while to get used to, and it took Hotch a while to let me handle some things." She looked at me and I could see she was upset by her own behavior.

"I know I was horrible to you, and that you didn't deserve any of it. I do want to apologize for that. At the beginning I was trying to get you, and then with that whole thing with Reid, I kind of snapped. I was so scared that day, and there you were just profiling and getting it done, because we need to, to help Reid, and I felt like shit for not being able to."

"JJ, I appreciate the apology, I didn't deserve that. But I guess we can leave it in the past you know, take things forward."

"Good, I would appreciate that."

"Just one more question on the subject, why tell Hotch I spent the night at Morgan's?" I had being curios about that from the beginning.

"What? I never told Hotch, I went to Garcia's on Saturday morning and told her, she was waiting for some friends, so I admit I gossiped a little and went for a run afterwards. How did he find that out? I swear I didn't tell him, I would never do that."

"I guess Mr. Hotchner did some eavesdropping on you and Garcia. He was the one going to her house. We kind of did a little outing, that was not suppose to have Hotch there, but anyway, he interrogated Morgan, telling him that you were the source. I guess it would be bad to say he overheard something."

"Gosh, I understand yours and Morgan's heated looks at me, I would be mad too."

"Well someone told me that we should let go of misunderstandings. So it's all good now right?"

"Thank God."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Why not them?"

"Well Hotch is going to his wife's family house somewhere, and Gideon never goes to those things."

"Ohhh….So the whole gang will be there."

"Yes they will. But you will meet them someday."

"Well I liked being invited, I had my doubts that you hadn't told anyone that we were dating yet. So, are we stopping at the grocery store to get ice cream and pasta for dinner?" He asked already distracted and walking away, but the only thing on my mind was:

SHIT.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I'm really sorry about taking so long to post this one.

And again thank you so much for the reviews and for sticking with the story.

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><p>Season 2 Episode 21 = Open Season<p>

I could not believe this guy. FBI agent?

Seriously? He really though he was going somewhere with this?

I mean is he for real? Classified? I never said that in my life.

And then he decides to touch my arm as if I was really into him, and that was it. Time to screw with Brad, the FBI agent. God it was nights like this that I could get my bitch side out to play.

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><p>We had to leave our cars at the bar and get a cab to the BAU, but the only thing on my mind was the fact that I had yet to tell the team, or better saying, Morgan, Garcia, JJ and Reid that I had a boyfriend.<p>

Not that it was any of their business, I never share those things without needing to, but we were together for about four months now, and I had yet to mix those two parts of my life together. I guess I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, the temporary kind of problem.

I had accepted the temporary term in my life a long time ago, it was temporary house, you temporarily have to do this, my job at the agency had being a temporary thing, my moments with my parents had being temporary, and most of my "dates" had called me a temporary solution, which meant get in my pants or use my connections.

So I was still looking for the temporary thing with Liam, and I knew that I would probably make things worst, but I didn't want to need, later on, to tell the team that we had broken up, because that would be a conversation I would never have, with anyone, ever.

As we paid the cab and started walking inside I made a decision I would later regret.

"Hey wait." They both stopped and looked at me waiting for an explanation. "I need to say something."

"Yeah sweets we got that. What is it?"

"Ok, but after I say what I have to say we go inside and both of you zip it, I don't want any comments, understood?"

"Okay." JJ put her hands up and I knew I was being a little over the top, but damn it, I was not a sharer, and I did not have this kind of conversation with people, any type of people.

"I have being dating this guy for a little over 4 months now." I saw their jaws drop. "Ok, this was all I had to say, I'll see you ladies inside, bye." I ran ahead and went straight to the break room where Reid and Morgan were.

"Wow, look who was out partying tonight."

"From the looks of it you, ass." I was a little worked up, and Morgan had being partnered with me so many times already that he new my moods, and new I wasn't really trying to offend him.

"Love you too princess, but all I meant was nice dress, you dressing yourself up for someone?." Agent Hotchner came to the break room just in time to hear Morgan's comments and I could see the corner of his mouth lifting up.

"Girls night out, take your mind out of that dark place it's at Agent Morgan, you are the only one with those kind of dates."

Just as I got a cup of coffee for me Garcia and JJ came almost running to the break room, but stopped seeing Hotch, Derek and Morgan. I could see they though they could get me before the meeting, sure as hell not.

"Everything ok?" Hotch asked lifting up an eyebrow at them and I had the urge to laugh.

"Yes sir, sorry."

"So sorry."

"Let's start the briefing." I took advantage and followed him out, it would definitely not be good staying alone with Garcia and JJ.

* * *

><p>Morgan and I left the plane quiet, I knew we were getting some weird looks, but I had already put Morgan in a funk with my thoughts, it wasn't fair to put the others in it too.<p>

But the truth is, we hunted people. We hunted bad people, and we made the world a better place, but still when was that normal? What made it different? What made us different? And would we ever change and become like them, justifying the means to an end?

I was sitting in my desk when I got a message from Liam telling me he was on his way to pick me up by now only Morgan, Reid, Hotch and I were still here. I was getting my things when Hotch asked me to come to his office.

"Please have a sit."

"Sir?" I sat down in front of him.

"What happened?" He looked at me and I knew he could tell that Morgan and I had something that was sticking with us.

"Nothing really sir, I just had some questions that ended up sharing with Morgan and I think they also made him think, I'll talk to…"

"No, no, no. Prentiss, I don't mean as a critique. I mean as someone who is worried. The only people with Paul Mulford when he died were you and Morgan, and if both of you are questioning something, I would like to know what it is, If I can?"

"Bobbi Baird asked me how they could do this, and I told her that they didn't think like us. But I lied. We do think like that, and it downed on me that we do the same thing, we hunt people, so what make us different, and could we ever change. Start doing it for the wrong reasons?"

"I think….I believe that every person that is on my team is ready, I believe that you all are emotionally and psychologically well for what we do and see. And I know that we all do it for the right reasons, we hunt monsters agent Prentiss, and we get trained to think like them. We don't think like them."

"I guess I can see your point sir. Thank you." Maybe he was right, but I think being careful and watchful from now on would be a nice precaution; after all I had already gotten too close once and almost lost myself in a case before.

"No thanks needed." And with that he got back to his endless pile of files, I took it as my dismissal. As I left the room I saw Liam near my desk with Morgan and Reid, and I could tell something was off.

"Hey guys." They all looked up with the exact same face expressions. Ok, definitely not good.

"You ready to go?" Liam asked.

"Yes, let me just get my things." I got my purse and jacket and waved goodbye to the other two men. We walked to the car in silence and after bucking my seatbelt and realizing that Liam had not started the car I waited.

Liam never said anything just took a deep breath and started the car. He drove to my apartment, we had agreed to spend the weekend together, we had done so much in the last few months, he had shared a lot of his past with me, but unfortunately I hadn't done the same with him, I couldn't.

He told me about being a very angry teenager and getting into the wrong circle of friends and that he paid for that. His back was full of tattoos, he said they were there to remind him of the things he went trough.

The first time I saw them I had being surprised, and to be honest, amazed. His back was covered with tattoos, from shoulder blades to waist, but nothing on anywhere else, it was like a canvas and I spent better part of the night just going over them, he had laughed at me and asked if I had never dated a tattooed guy before, and I told him that never one as cute as him.

We got to my house and he was still silent, I knew I had to give him his space so as soon as we were in I told him I was going for a bath. After getting the tub filled enough so that both of us could get in without making a mess.

I got in, closed my eyes and waited, if he wanted to he knew he knew he could get in, I had left the door opened and he knew me enough about those things by now. Close door equals stay away, open door you can come in, simple.

I kept my eyes closed as I hear him come in, after some shuffling around I felt him enter the tub and sit in front of me, instead of his usual place behind me, so I opened my eyes and looked at him.

He looked tense, wary and deciding I didn't like that I got one of his hands in my hand and started massaging it.

"We need to talk." Hearing that I decided I did not want to be naked in a bath tub while he broke up with me, so I started to get up, only to have his hand grip my arm. "Where are you going?"

"I don't want to have this conversation here Liam." I tried getting my arm out of his grasp, but he only tightened his hold.

"Not this type of talk Em, I promised." I sat back down.

"Then talk." Still deciding if I want to leave him there and just go change clothes or if I should shut down the overthinking process in my head.

"You didn't tell anyone." What?

"Sorry, what?" What was he talking about?

"You never told you team about us Emily. We've dated long enough that you have even met my sister through skype, and she lives half a planet away, so tell me how I should feel over the fact that today, when I got there, no one knew who I was." He was pissed.

"Ok, come with me." I decided on a practical answer better then explaining, he was a little stubborn when it came to hearing things he didn't like it. I got his phone and dialed Garcia's number "Tell her you can't get in contact with me, and that you got her phone from me, ask for my office number." He didn't get the phone and looked like he would protest. "Just do it."

"Hello? Hi, my name is Liam and I…." The moment she cut him off I knew she would talk his ear off, serves him right. " Emily Prentiss gave me your phone, I'm going to pick her up at the office tonight and I can't reach her on her mobile, could you please give me her office number?"

I could hear Garcia's fast talking without having to get close to him, she was probably inquiring him, and I could guess that I would receive a call from JJ anytime tomorrow.

"Yes, yes I am. British. Yes, a little over 4 months. Oh ok. Yes, sure. Ok, I'll. Thanks bye." He put the phone on the bed and looked guilty at me. I raised an eyebrow and went back to the bathroom, after a few minutes of him not following I called.

"You can come here anytime sweetie." I laughed at his child-like expression, hand in the cookie jar indeed.

"I'm sorry?"

"You don't have to be sorry, I haven't told Morgan because he is an ass about stuff like this. He would mock me a lot and then try to have the 'if you hurt her conversation'. But it's not because I don't like you or because I don't want this."

He pulled me up by my hand from the bath tube and after climbing out for the second time, I suddenly remembered we didn't have any clothes on. It hadn't being a detail that my mind registered when I knew he was upset with me, but with the way he was staring things were getting quite intense.

He pulled me against him and his mouth descended on mine and without a thought I surrendered to him. He started walking me back to the bedroom without letting go and with quite the expertise after all he never bumped us into anything.

"You are beautiful Emily, and I'm lucky, so fucking lucky." His mouth was on mine again and he pushed both of our bodies onto the bed.

He already new the places in my body that would give me chills, that would light me up and make me ache for him. He started kissing me at my neck and went down to my breasts, my stomach, my thighs.

God. He was going to drive me insane.

"Liam" I could barely talk.

"Yes sweetheart?" He said looking me in the eye and stopping all and every action. I absolutely hated when he tried to play dumb in bed.

"Liam" My voice was a warning that he knew.

"But you look so gorgeous when you beg Em."

"Really because if you don't start doing something soon, you won't see …" I couldn't finish my sentence because he kneeled beside me, grabbed me by the hip, tuned me over in bed so I was lying on my stomach and then got on top of me again preventing me from moving.

"See, I'm doing something." He started the same slow and continuous process of kissing, biting and rubbing me, from the neck to my knees.

It was torture, but such a satisfying one. He knew how to make me ask for it, and he knew just how to get me there. He turned me over again. Looked at my face and kissed my mouth, and for the first time touched me where I wanted the most.

"Yes, Liam yes." I didn't need to see his face to tell that he was grinning, the bastard, he was going slowly and steady, just to make me angry and needy.

"You look so pretty like this, sensual, erotic." After kissing me again, dominating my mouth without living me time to recuperate he went to my breasts sucking, licking. All the while his hands kept stimulating me, and bringing me closer to the edge.

Finally after gently biting and with harder and quicker strokes I couldn't deny us anymore and seeing as he was on top of me, I wrapped my hands around his neck and my legs around his waist. He laughed at me, he knew what I wanted, and I just had to beg for it.

"Please Liam, please." I couldn't take it anymore, I just needed him.

"Tell me Emily."

"I want you inside, I need you inside." And with that he turned us over and got us in my favorite position. Him sitting down on the bed with me sitting on top of him, making us both groan with pleasure as he finally entered me.

"You ok in there?" I moved a little and from his grunt I smiled triumphantly, who was affected now.

"Uhum" I nodded. I didn't trust my voice, I just wanted us to start moving already, if I didn't get some nice trusts right about now I would take matters into my own hands.

We started moving, and kissing and trusting and moaning, I grabbed his shoulders for support and I could feel his strong grip in my hip, it would probably leave a mark.

"So good."

"Come on Em, I'm close, just looking at you, just feeling you so tight and hot. Come with me darling." He kept whispering in my ear and started stroking my clit at the same time.

And with that I was gone.

It was a good thing he didn't mind me totally turning boneless on top of him, I could still feel myself tingling and my legs were definitely not steady enough for a walk outside. I turned over and grabbed my phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Ordering a pizza." I said calmly.

"Seriously, after all this, the only thing you can think about is your stomach?" He sounded offended.

"Well honey you got all my other needs satisfied, so I really need food."

"Nice save, my ego thanks you." Just as we were about to kiss his cellphone starts buzzes.

"Is it her?" I ask as he looks at the caller id.

"Yes, I'm really sorry Em."

"It's ok." He got up and went to change his clothes, as I got up and put a robe on.

I walked him to the door. His boss in the hospital had being calling him all the time and at all hours. He said sometimes it was even about silly stuff that other people could resolve.

But apparently ever since she found out he had a girlfriend, Dr. Helena was trying everything to make it difficult on him, this was the fourth time this week, but at least this time she called after we were done.

Last time she called while he was still working on orgasm number one, lets just say I was very vocal how upset he left me.

"You don't get very upset when this happens." It was more a statement then anything.

"Well I know who you go home to honey." He looked at me funny and after a peck in the lips he went to the hospital.

But his phrase continued with me, was I wrong not to be so attached to him as he was to me? I had sometimes told him that I was too busy or too tired and that we should get together the next day.

But that was how I was, I didn't like to deal with people all day everyday, and sometimes, he was just kind of always there, and I needed my space.

Were we in different places at the relationship? I thought things were easy with Liam, but lately I could feel him pushing more, and I wanted to give him more, that was why I told the girls about him.

But I didn't know if that was enough for him, and I definitely could not say if I could give him more then that now. We needed to talk, and it probably would not be a good talk.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey guys, how are you?**

**So, this weekend was very productive and I'm going to try not to take too long to post chapters, I'm really sorry about before.**

**So, I think you'll like the next ones, lot's of things happening.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews.**

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><p>Season 2 Episode 22 - Legacy<p>

The restaurant was nice, Liam had put his foot down about the choice. We always went for more casual places, so when he brought me to one of the finest restaurants I had ever gone to in the last year, I started to get scared.

When he started talking about our future before we even ordered I knew I had to stop this, because the more he talked the more I wanted to be as away from this as possible.

"Liam, please stop. Just please." He looked curios at me.

"Emily?"

"If you were thinking about proposing tonight, please don't."

"Why, what is wrong with tonight?"

"Oh my God, you were going to propose?"

"No, I mean yes. I mean Gosh Emily did you have to do this now."

"I'm sorry but.."

"Let's just go, we will talk at home." He was pissed, so truly pissed, and I couldn't blame him. Why did I do this? Why did I always sabotage my relationships? But it didn't feel right letting him do something so sweet and say no. And as much as it pained I couldn't say yes, at least not now.

The drive home was awful and I felt like the worst person, but I knew it was better then to lie. As we got to my apartment I was glad to see him getting out of the car, part of me was afraid he was just going to drop me off and put and end on things. I didn't want it to end, I just didn't want to take a too big of a step and then have it all crumble.

"Ok, I can feel the wheels turning in your head, and even thought it hurt to see that you are not ready for a commitment as big as marriage, I already knew that." I gasped and just stood there, staring at him.

"Yes, you are not an open person Em, and when you still have yet to give me a key to the house, I can probably tell the next step is not proposing. I'm not that stupid."

"I'm sorry." I should have know I didn't need to panic, much.

"But Em, it was really sad to see you panic because you thought I was proposing, because honestly, I want to."

"I'm sorry Liam, but I'm not there yet." I wasn't going to pretend to think about it, I knew were I stood, and trying to make this work sooner would not be a good idea. "But what were we doing at a fancy as hell restaurant and with the whole future waits talk?" Way to confuse a girl buddy.

"Emily, you know I'm here on a program between a few hospitals in the world, we trade places to learn new techniques, how to use different equipment's, do courses. I've being here part of the time I should. So now I have to go home for a month to get the hospital back there a position, I'll probably stay around a month." Ok, he was going, but he was coming back wasn't he?

"But you are coming back, you still have another six months don't you?"

"Yes, but normally they prefer that we do it in a different hospital." He wasn't coming back?

"Oh." I sat on the couch and tried to think about everything he had just explained.

"Hey, I didn't say we were obligated, I can finish it here." I tried to smile at him.

"But for that I want you to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"I'm going to be away for a month, and while I'm away I want you to think about us." He had lost me.

"I don't understand."

"When I come back I want us to live together for the reminding of my time here, and after that is over I want you to move in with me, to London."

"Liam that's insane."

"Em, just think about it, you are going to have one month to make that decision. It's an important one, and I'm giving you one month to go through everything. You are a thinker." He smiled and sat down next to me. "I want us to have a future, but I need you to give me something here." I could see he was pleading, and it made me sad that he had to do all this.

"Ok, in one month I'll give you my answer." I had no idea if I my thoughts were going to change in this one month without him, I knew what my answer was now, but I was willing to give him the time he needed, the time to make sure this was my final decision.

"Ok then, I'm going to change." Wait?

"What?"

"I have to work tonight remember? My shift starts at four." That's right he had told me that, but why was he changing now? He was leaving? It was still nine thirty.

"Are you going already? We can still order something and do something."

"Yes I can, I actually didn't know if you wanted me to stay or not, so I was trying to give you a way out. I did just give you a lot to think about."

"Liam I would never want you to leave, you know how much I like you, and I want you here, even when you make me think." We both laughed at that.

"Ok then, but Em, even if this all blow up, even if we don't stay together, whatever happens, I'm going to still bug you ok?" That was the Liam I knew, that was the one I wanted in my future.

I nodded my head and he sat down on the couch, we turned the T.V. and he called to order our food, large pizza, ice cream, sodas and we would probably have some popcorn too. I loved that he liked eating as much as me.

"Aren't you going to change?" I blurted after some time, it was probably a good time for this confession.

"Change? But I'm staying here." He looked confused.

"Well darling, I could definitely do with the scrubs." I said smirking at him, it was funny to see him looking so confused and then when he finally got it he looked incredulous at me.

"Seriously? The scrubs?" His face was priceless. Hadn't any girlfriend said he was extremely hot in those things, I swear I got myself tingling every single time I saw him on those.

"Honey, every time you came here with them you didn't keep them on for very long. So how about you go put it on and we will have some fun before the food arrives?" He was running to the bedroom faster then I could blink, you got to love an obedient lover like him, after all he was always up to play.

* * *

><p>I could tell from the looks I got that they both knew there was something wrong with me, they had respected my self-imposed isolation and weren't making a fuss.<p>

I liked that about the boys, we had being working long enough that Morgan and Reid knew when to leave me alone. Which was something the girl on the team would definitely not do, but Garcia was had a new video game that had being lunched yesterday to try out and JJ had a giant pile of files to go through.

Life was apparently being nice to me and letting me brood over the fact that my boyfriend, the man I had the longest relationship since…well since him, but let's not get into that can of worms.

Anyway, my boyfriend was going to freaking London, for a month, after giving me the biggest ultimatum. Either I move in with him and then after six month we move the beforehand mentioned freaking London, or he would go to another place finish his exchange medicine program. I had to answer him by the time he had to give the hospital his next chosen location, in three weeks time.

I had three weeks, literally three weeks to decide if I wanted or not to change my entire life. If I wanted to bet on my love life and give up something I worked hard for, or if I wanted…God how the hell does someone makes a decision like this one?

I loved my job, I had worked so hard for it, actually having to claw my way into this closed off group, I learned everyday with those people, all of them. And here, I knew I was making a difference, the BAU had a very high rotation, it took a lot from an agent and so people that were dedicated and wanted to stay were few. And I was one of them, I knew how important my job was, and I understood why we did it.

But for a couple of months now I had started to think about Liam as something permanent in my life. I thought much further into our future, I always thought that marriage wasn't for people like me, God knew I was screwed up from childhood to adulthood.

Motherhood would never be in the picture, unless I adopted, but then again a screw up waiting to happen there, and I would never do that to a child. And marriage was just such a foreign thought, I was a lonely person, I knew how I could be, and living with someone or doing something so intimate would never work.

"Guys we need you up here." Hotch told us and thankfully enough I could put all this away for a while, we had a case.

* * *

><p>I had given everything to the profile, I knew how to separate my personal problems from the professional ones, that was one of the reasons I was good at this. I knew how to handle it.<p>

But I had taken the time to answer Liam's call today, after all it was the last call before he was across the pond, and I was a little down after that. But when agent Gideon decided to be a prick I was ready to give him a very cross answer. Who the hell was he to say that I didn't do my job right, or that I was twiddle my thumbs here. Fuck him.

Morgan saw my face and intervene before I could say anything and then we were off to get another lunatic, but let's just say agent Gideon was not my favorite person, at all.

* * *

><p>We were on the plane back and for some reason no one wanted to sleep, so we were all talking between ourselves. Morgan was trying to say he shot better then Hotch and me, and both of us were just ignoring.<p>

"We got him, and if I say so myself, I was the one with the biggest number of shots." This was his third time talking about beating us with more shots, it wasn't that he was being inhumane, but sometimes we did this kind of things just to distract ourselves that we had just killed a living person. It was just a little bit of competition between friends, usually I would have taken the bait, or he would be harassing Reid, but today he wanted to take bigger targets it seemed.

"Oh really my stud muffin? Because that is not what I heard." Garcia was on speaker, that was going to be fun.

"What?"

"It's true, even thought you took the more number of shots, Hotch's was quicker and Emily's was definitely the kill shot, after all she hit the neck, and Hotch the chest, while you got the stomach wounds." Morgan stared with his mouth open.

"It's true, your shots would only make him slow down and eventually bleed to death, but he died instantly with Emily's shot." And now it was war.

"Are you saying she fires better then me?"

"I'm saying that statistically woman fire better then man, and yes, Emily is way better then you." Reid smiled taunting Morgan.

"Kids." Hotch decided to intervene before it got worst.

"You aren't saying anything because he didn't say that she is better then you."

"She is right here, and I am better then both of you, now quit it." Hotch and Morgan turned to look at me.

"Ok, I want rematch." What?

"You want us to kill someone just to see who is the best one?" I mocked him while glaring, I guess I was a little irritated, after the whole day, I really was picking a fight.

"No, but we can settle it at the gym."

"Really Morgan." The others started laughing at Hotch's comment to Morgan. So they all thought I couldn't take him on a fight? Well, I better get them straight, after all they didn't know all that I was trained for, and neither would they found out.

"You don't think I can take him?" I asked already itching for a good fight.

"And you think you can." He asked more surprised then anything, but I had already decided to take it offensively.

"Well, Mr. Sexist I do believe I can take him or you." This was getting good.

"Ok, tomorrow, the three of us at the FBI gym before work." Morgan really wanted to prove something.

"You are on." Everyone turned to look at Hotch.

"I'm not hitting Prentiss" As soon as the words were out of his mouth he knew he was screwed.

"Well, Morgan and I are going, in your old age I think you are right in avoid things like that." The team laughed and we all knew he would be there tomorrow.

I settled back in my seat and turned off Morgan's taunting on Hotch, I still was not any closer in deciding my future with Liam, and that scared me, but at least for now, I could close my eyes and leave it alone, at least until tomorrow.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey how are you?**

**So here it is, gym time!**

**Thank you to all the reviews, I'm having a lot of fun writing this.**

**Until next time.**

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><p>Season 2 Episode 23 = No Way Out II: The Evolution of Frank<p>

As I threw Morgan on the mat I could hear Hotch, Reid, and Garcia's gasp, apparently they all thought I would loose. And I enjoyed to prove them wrong.

"Ok, where did you learn to do that?" Morgan asked still lying on his back.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I laughed and turned to the boss.

"You don't need to prove anything sir, a man your age shouldn't do too strenuous activities." I neither smiled nor looked angry, so he didn't know how to take my statement, some of the built up stress had left me as I fought Morgan, but getting that arrogant smile out of boss man's face would be a nice addition.

We had changed the time of the fight, because we didn't have any cases Morgan decided to do it at the end of the day, so we all did our reports and agreed to meet at the gym at six. It wasn't much of a surprise that I mocked Morgan saying he was afraid of loosing to a girl and that just boosted his ego, which made his take down easier. Not that it was easy, fighting guys was harder, especially trained and big ones like him, but I had a vast experience and a lot of training.

"Come on Prentiss, give the best you've got." That was a little surprise, we all knew he was a proud guy, but I had never seen this side of him come out, he was a little vain in this aspect it seemed, he didn't want to loose to a girl.

"Your call sir, but remember to tell your wife this when she has to take you to the ER because of your back."

"You talk too much"

"And you don't act in time." Just as I said that he tried to tackle me, but I deflected and got an elbow to his back and gave tried to take him down when he had his back to me he jumped and turned around.

He realized I was quick, so I didn't have that as a surprise anymore, but he still was not used to a quick, light and fast target. I had more work with him then Morgan, Hotch took my fight with Morgan and learned how I did things, so it was harder to surprise him, by the end of it I was already very tired and panting.

"Want to quit?" He was trying to distract me, but I just needed to let him attack, and it was going to be over.

"Not…at all" He went for it, tackled me and brought me down, but before he could pin me I had him on his back and my knee in his throat, both of his hands secured in mine. I won.

"Ok, ok." Just as he said that I dropped to the mattress and closed my eyes, I was going to sleep like an angel after spending all this energy today. I had almost given up on Hotch, Morgan had taken a lot of energy from running from his tackles, but he wasn't one to learn from your opponents moves and change yourselves so getting him on his back had taken time and effort but not much thinking.

But Hotch was another story, he would change his moves all the time, seeing that I was studying him, and so it had taking learning that I would never get him pinned to the floor like I did Morgan, so the I had to take the only other option I had with him, going for a sensitive part after he was down, but I really didn't want to go to the face of downside area, if I miscalculated a move and actually hit those would be hard to explain, the neck would be easily deflected.

"Princess I don't know if my ego can take this, I need a rematch" I didn't have the energy to roll my eyes at him, but from the snorts I heard I knew my sentiments were shared.

"This was…. rematch. And I'm…dead fucking tired."

"Come on guys, time to pay up." I hear JJ saying and opened my eyes to see Garcia and Reid giving her and Gideon money. What?

"Those two decided to bet against you." JJ explained. "But I knew you wouldn't take a challenged you couldn't win, at least not without a damn good fight."

"You bet against me?" Hotch sounded insulted looking at Gideon, but we knew he wasn't really upset.

"I never bet on the loosing side." Agent Gideon smiled as he turned and started walking to the exit. I finally sat and started to get up.

"God I'm tired"

"At least that, you just took down two agents. My raven, here is more like a wonder woman then anything else."

"Come on, let's go home. I have a meeting with Strauss in the morning."

* * *

><p>Frank was finally gone. The price we paid and would continue to pay I didn't know yet. But as soon as I was told to wait and then was called to Strauss office after all the members from my team were gone I knew something was up. Hotch had just left after a very tense meeting with her, this didn't look very good.<p>

* * *

><p>I had actually just being planted on the team. Hotch and Gideon were right, I didn't belong here, I wasn't put here because of talent, or because the Bureau thought I deserved it. I was just a pawn in Strauss game.<p>

She had given me time to think and to come to her with the evidence she needed, to end a man's career, a man that had a family, a man that loved his job and was dedicated to it.

How was she going to do this?

At the end she had just being put there because people thought she was like her mother, that she would do anything to get where she wanted, people just always took her for a climbing the corporate ladder bitch.

And that is what she would always be on other people's eyes. I left the office pretty shaken up, I walked to the parking lot and almost ran to my car, I was never like this, I was never this emotional over things like this, but I had gotten close to those people, and betray them would….

I felt a hand on my shoulder and my hand was already taking my gun out of my holster when I hear.

"Prentiss, Prentiss. It's Hotch."

"Sorry sir, I didn't see you there."

"What is going on? I called you several times."

"I..uh…Nothing I'm just distracted." God I need to get out of here.

"Distracted? And what made you run to your car? Distraction?" I really had to get away from him.

"Prentiss…" Before he could continue my cellphone rang and I was never more happy to hear my mother's name on the caller id.

"Mother?"

"Emily, you need to come to the house right away."

"Mother I'm just getting off work."

"Emily your father had a meeting at the agency and he asked me to call you, I have never heard your father like that Emily, I want you home right now." Oh fuck, really? Oh bloody fuck.

"I'm on my way." I looked at Hotch and from the look on his face I knew mine was probably pale and spooked. "I need to go, I'm sorry sir." I didn't give him time to answer and just got on my car and drove off.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So starting season 3!**

**Complicated things up ahead, hold on tight.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 01 = Doubt<p>

I was relived when JJ called, if we had a case I wouldn't have to think about the situations that I had to deal with at home, in the last few days I was felling like they were suffocating me.

Apparently someone from the agency had decided to talk to dad about my old job with, apparently they didn't say much just that my final case had not gone very well, and that after that they decided to dismantle the team, and that it was pretty much my fault.

Dad had gone ballistic and tried to find out what the mission was about, what had happened and how it had ended, but no one told him anything so he decided to come to me, only for, the first time in my life, I told him it was none of his business, needless to say to say that didn't fly with him

I was already so mad at the situation at work, at being so shamelessly used by Strauss, at the fact that as soon as this came out the team would hate me. And to make matters worst my time to give Liam and answer was approaching quickly. So I did the only thing we Prentiss did best, lashed out as a defense mechanism.

Accused him and my mother of having a child for show, of all the things of my childhood and almost blurted out about the ghosts I still carried, when I decided to live the house in a huff he said if I left before telling him anything I shouldn't bother come back. I am a thirty year old woman, was he insane?

Well let's just say I wasn't welcome in my mother's house for the next foreseeable future. As I got in my car I could hear mother shouting at him, and it made me feel guilty, was I screwing with all of this people's life? Should I have never come back?

Next day we had off, and I refused to take any calls, mother called, Liam called, Hotch called. I wasn't going to talk to any of them, and I knew I was closing off, shutting down.

I stayed inside the whole day, ordered food and read, nothing related to work or anything, I just wanted to not think. By night time JJ called and I was never happier about a crazy UNSUB, working made me not think about anything else.

It wasn't until we were in the round table that I realized that if I was here as a spy and not because of how good I had showed my job, that I froze out a little. I didn't know what to say, and so I barely said anything the whole time of the briefing.

By the time we were on the plane I saw Hotch's look, and I knew he wanted to talk to me, so I made sure to not sit anywhere near him, look busy and take primary jobs. Nothing that had profiling to be done, no crime scenes, no victimology nothing that would make me fuck up the case.

And having to answer to Chief Strauss was getting on my nerves, I was into a lot of pressure, and I knew If I didn't take a step back I would snap. After getting back from the coroner's Hotch cornered me.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Prentiss."

"Sir?" God this was getting ridiculous, I sounded like a petulant child.

"I need you to help giving the profile." Oh crap.

"As soon as I'm done reading the notes we have on it Sir."

"Notes? You never had to read the notes to help before?"

"Excuse me." Why did I feel like I was going to throw up, it didn't take a genius to realize I was out of character, so how was I thinking of evading the God damn profilers?

* * *

><p>When we left the campus to the hotel the only thing I wanted to do was clean off the blood, just take all the clothes and burn them, I felt repulsed by everything.<p>

What was this team turning into? Did we loose our touch? Were we done?

The others decided to go to the restaurant together, I refused and went to my room, I had a missed call from Liam, and one from my mother. I decided to get Liam's I hadn't talk to him in a few days he was going to start worrying. I took a good shower and after getting ready for bed made my call.

"Hey."

"Hmm. Hi."

"How are you?"

"I'm good Em, you?"

"Not really, but I don't want to talk about it."

"Not much of a difference right? We haven't talked in a few days anyway."

"You are right I shouldn't have called, Goodbye." I didn't wait for an answer, I wasn't angry, I was just tired. I just lied down and fell into a restless sleep. We would be gone in the morning.

* * *

><p>After getting the news that Hotch was suspended I knew this was only the first blow of many that Strauss had in her plans for him, and I was the one who should give her the means to do it.<p>

Liam and I hadn't try to contact each other since last night, and I was relieved, it was one more fight I did not want to have. My life was getting so out of control that I had no idea what to do.

Strauss had given the team two weeks of rotation so that we would only assist on cases nearby, from the looks of things Gideon wasn't coming those two weeks either. So as soon as everybody was in the bullpen Gideon surprising said.

"How about we all go have a drink?" We all looked at him funny.

"I think I'm going home." Hotch was obviously not in the mood.

"Come on, you'll have two weeks to be home, let's go, just us, the team." I instantly winced at that, if they all new why I was here, they would still be treating me like before, like I wasn't part of the team.

"Ok, let's go." They all started getting to the elevator and I made motion to pretend to get my things, if I was slow enough they would be at the entrance waiting and I could evade them and go for my car.

"Why are you avoiding time with the team?" I turned and saw Hotch had stayed behind, I really didn't want to have this conversation now.

"I'm not." I could see he did not believed me.

"Really, because I'm pretty sure something happened." I got my purse and decided to leave before this could get more to a point where I would not be able to lie to him.

"If you will excuse me."

"You sit down, we are having this conversation." I looked up surprised, he was usually one to avoid confrontations, wasn't he? "Something happen that started to make your mind wonder, you started to doubt yourself and to avoid time with your co-workers."

"Nothing happened." I was getting angry.

"You are infuriating. But let me tell you this, as you said so you got here because you deserved it. So stop doubting yourself and just tell whoever said anything to you that you are good at what you do, or you wouldn't be here." At the end of his speech I felt like I should cry or something, not that I felt like it, but he had just summed up what I was not, deserving of this, of them.

"I have to go now." I said quietly, and as quickly as I could I left.

I drove for hours just not caring where I ended up. I had two weeks to make a decision, two weeks, and from the looks of it, I already knew what I would do. Politics sucked.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey people.**

**I'm really sorry about the time, but I have some chapters that are done, but this week I didn't write, so I'm taking my time posting them so I'll have time to write more, and not be too late with them.**

**I'm sorry.**

**I'm glad you like it.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 02 = In Name and Blood<p>

I decided not to get too early so that I wouldn't have to meet any of the team members. On Friday Garcia caught my application to the State Department and came to me already crying, it took me a while to make her understand that this was what I wanted and I couldn't help but feel that I was trying to convince myself as well as her as I talked.

She made me promise to still come by, and to have regularly girls night out and to still be her wonder woman and I almost cried thinking that as soon as word got out of how I had come to be a BAU, she would change her mind and make sure I never saw her again.

"Sorry to interrupt." I got a little excited to give my resignation to Hotch while Strauss was in the room, it showed her that what side I was on, and how much I was willing to do for this team, we were a unit and I would rather be out then poison it. I looked over agent Hotchner, he was the one I would let know, he was the only one that deserved the request.

"Sir, I've decided to resign from the FBI effective immediately." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew I had chocked him.

"I don't understand." I knew he was going to make this harder then it should be, but I also knew I could never stay, she would make both his and my life a living hell. And after he discovered that I was put there as a personal vendetta against him, he would be glad to see me gone.

"I'm taking the foreign service exam, with my connections I stand a good chance of landing in the State Department."

"Prentiss I think that is a mistake." You and me both buddy, but crazy lady over there isn't giving me much of a chance. Playing politics was going to suck.

"Well don't try to talk me out of it, Garcia saw my name on the list and she already tried. If she can't talk someone out of doing something, no one can." He looked at Chief Strauss and I could see the wheels on his head turning, it was better to get the hell out of here before he asked for more information. "Sorry for the interruption. But sir, it's good to see you back. The team needs you." I bailed out and left my gun and badge on my desk, the team wasn't aware of my presence but I wasn't going to be lucky if I stayed much more.

* * *

><p>I was at home, mother was coming to scream at me for quitting and taking me to lunch, so I decided to study for the exam, the least I could do was pass and get a job and make a nice career in something using the talent I did have, linguistics.<p>

I had all the material spread out in front of me in the coffee table, I was always one to study sitting on the floor, I would have prefer to be wearing comfier clothes, but mother would have a heart attack if I answer the door in such attire, I always cracked up at some of her old fashion virtues.

So when the doorbell rang, I had no idea it was going to be him on the other side.

He was already talking by the first step into my apartment; I could see him looking weirdly at the two moving boxes on the floor near the stairs. By the time I caught up with his speech he was talking about asking for a transfer, like what?

"You put in for a transfer?" What was he doing? I quit so the damn team could be left alone, and that included you.

"They are both still hung up in the system, so technically, we're in dereliction of duty by not being there. " Was he for real? Did he not hear me in his office this morning?

"I'm sorry I can't go."

"Right. Sorry I barged in." Really, he thought I was letting him leave after this?

"Wait, wait. Can I ask? Why are you really here?"

"I told you." And I just had to raise one eyebrow everybody. "I think Strauss came to you and asked for dirt on me." Oh. He knew, well in for a penny…

"Why would she do that?"

"I think if you have your eyes on top leadership at the FBI you want to know who might stand in your way." He thought I would do something like this for that? To gain freaking information, did he really think that about me?

"And what could I have told her?" This whole thing was making me angry. He needed to leave.

"That one of my agents might have killed a suspect in cold blood, or another might have a serious drug problem, which I didn't report, and if Strauss had any evidence my career would be over." He looked decided. "I think she put you on our team and expected something in return, and to your credit you quit rather then whisper in her ear."

"I told you, I hate politics." I didn't like this conversation, it was getting too personal.

"Come to Milwaukee, I'll make you a deal" I started shaking my head, I was done, my FBI career was over, didn't he understand that? "If your ready bag isn't here, packed, I won't bug you anymore." I waited, I knew there was more. "If it is, I want you on that plane with me. One more case."

"I already turned in my badge and my gun." He and I knew I was only looking for an excuse, because the fucking bag was next to the stairs upstairs.

"That's just hardware." His mouth betrayed his amusement, he knew I was going. "The plane leaves in two hours, so you have one more hour to get everything you need in order."

Ok, change clothes, call mother, get the shopping bag that was on my bed inside my closet in case mother come by, and see if the safe was locked.

"I just need to get a few things from upstairs, I'll be right back" I ran upstairs and tried smoothing everything, my mother had a key since my fight with dad, she said she wanted to be able to come here when I wasn't around. What that meant I didn't know, but after this short time with it, I was already thinking about getting it back.

She started acting like she did when I was a teenager and got to my room and there was something out of place, I'm thirty, I was going to end up killing her if this starts happening more often.

I got back downstairs and I could see Hotch had being snooping a little bit, but I couldn't fault him, it came with profiling, and just like that I reminded myself that I really wasn't one, I didn't come here because I deserve it.

"Are you moving again?" He said pointing at the boxes.

"No, it's not my stuff" I didn't feel like explaining, so I didn't. "Hotch, I wasn't put here because I knew how to profile. You were right, someone did put me there, but I didn't know and…" I decided to have this conversation now, so if he wanted to say something we were alone.

"Prentiss, this week has being hell, from what I gathered, you have being with this sentence over your head and thinking of what to do, and knowing your mother, she must have had a few choice of words when she found out." He got that right, but the full blow was coming later. "But you are a good profiler, don't doubt that." I nodded my head, so this was it, we were going for one more case, just one more.

* * *

><p>"I don't need to go to the hospital, just finish stitching me up and it will do." I told the paramedic.<p>

"Agent, you will have to sign here, and we really don't think you should fly like this, it's probable that you have a concussion and it could be worst on the plane." It was going to be fine, I had traveled with more injure then this.

"Here it is, signed, now let me go." I was already getting up and going over to the team, they had all being looking as Hotch talked to Chief Strauss.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We think he is staying."

"Really?" Could both of us stay? And not get anything more then a slap on the wrist?

"Yes, apparently he is just going to talk to Haley." Huh, that would be something. Things could finally go back to normal again.

* * *

><p>At the plane I realized I had fucked up not getting my head checked out, it hurt like hell, and I could barely keep my eyes closed without squinting them in pain, I was feeling nauseous and dizzy. Fuck.<p>

I had gotten a seat at the back and I knew Hotch had taken the one in front of me, he was trying to figure out if I was lying about the injure, and if I was if he could trick me into admitting it.

"You can tell me anytime" Conceited.

"It doesn't hurt." Infuriating.

"Really, not one little bit? Maybe if I turn the reading light on." Ass.

We had left on the same day, and we got to D.C. already with little daylight, and now all the lights were off, which was helping, and he knew that. Fortunately my phone rang, and I could be taken off this conversation.

"Prentiss"

"Em. It's me."

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You need an answer, right ? Your meeting is in the morning."

"Yes darling, that is why I called."

"I… Liam I." I couldn't bring myself to say it, I couldn't bring myself to end it.

"I know. I think I kind of knew since I told you, but I had to ask, I had to try, because even if you wouldn't choose for us I would." I could feel my eyes getting teary and I got up and went to the bathroom.

"I'm so, so sorry." I didn't know what else to say, there wasn't anything else to say. I was going with my gut. After this whole thing with Strauss I had decided to go to London, to get to the State Department and ask for the London office. But even then my gut told me I would be going against myself, my principles. And it hurt so damn much to tell him this, but I couldn't do anything else without betraying who I was, what I had become.

"I am too." I could hear the emotion in his voice, just as I'm sure he could hear my tears. "I'm just sad you might always think that you don't deserve this. You know just because we are not going to go out anymore it doesn't mean I don't want to hear from you ok? You are still one of the most import people in my life Em."

"Yes, I won't disappear. Do you know where you are going?"

"I think I'll let them decide, it doesn't matter to me." The tears came faster after he said that. "I have to go now, are you ok?"

"I'll be. Goodbye Liam."

I took my time to wash my face and get it together, another relationship finished, and I didn't know if I was going to be able to give in to another again. How to trust another again, Liam might have being it, and now it was gone.

We left the plane and Morgan was my new bodyguard, no one commented on the fact that my nose was red and puffy and my makeup was gone, but I really didn't care. When we got to the BAU I went straight to Garcia's office, she always wanted to see us when we got hurt, make sure we were fine and in one piece.

I went to my desk and organized a bit, tried to see if I stayed long enough on the chair quiet I would get better, after almost one hour of not feeling very well I decided to go to Garcia, everybody had left.

But I did have an ulterior motive, I needed her to take me home I was definitely not ok, my dizziness was getting worse as was the nausea. I really shouldn't have taken this flight.

"Hey Pen." She was all dressed up? Why would she be dressed up? Was girls night out tonight? JJ would have said something. My head was pounding and the only thought I had was to get home.

"Hey Em, I'm so glad your ok." And then she did something we both regretted, she hugged, spinned and sat me down on the chair.

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><p>I was at home before I could notice, the sky was all black with no starts, Liam was probably going to wake up for his meeting in a couple of hours, I felt a weird desire to call him and ask for things back, convince him that nothing needed to change and staying the way it was would be better, but I knew I couldn't do that to him, he deserved better as cliché as it sounds.<p>

I decided that since the day had already being crap, I was entitled to some good old hard liquor. It was a unfortunate thing I got from my dad, taste for whiskey. Whenever he was home re said to be able to relax he needed a good whiskey, and then after years of hearing it, I tried it, it burned all the way down, never given up after that.

I was still on my first glass when I hear a knock on the door. I got up to open it and to my surprise Agent Hotchner was there, wait a minute.

"Haven't we done this once already."

"How did you get here?" What?

"I live here, what does it matter?"

"Prentiss, do you remember how you got to your apartment?" Huhn, I had left Garcia's office as soon as I heard she was calling someone to take me to the hospital.

"Not really, shit where did I leave my car?" Ok, worry mode in action.

"You went to the airport with me, you didn't have a car in the BAU." That made sense, did I take a cab home?

"Hotch, how did I get home?" He burst out laughing at that.

"You have a concussion, you probably don't remember but you got a ride with agent Anderson" Really creepy guy, I shouldn't have done that. Hotch looked around the apartment. "And you decided to drink, do you really think it's wise, you were hit in the head with a board, for god's sake."

"Calm down, I don't feel anything anymore, Garcia shouldn't spin people with concussions."

"Believe me she learned her lesson, she almost had a heart attack when she saw you were gone, and I screamed at her over the phone, which I have already apologized for by the way."

"Well if everything is good, goodbye." I started walking to the door.

"I'm not leaving." He sounded insulted "You have a concussion and you are drinking, it would be beyond irresponsive for me to leave." He was such a momma's boy.

"Hotch, you have a wife and kid. I'm sure I can stop drinking now and stay alive until morning, so you can definitely go home."

"That isn't an issue." He sounded weird, absolute, hurt. Right then I decided not to fight him anymore, maybe he was having trouble dealing with this case, because of the little boy.

"Ok then, if you are staying you are drinking." He tried to protest but from the looks he needed just as much as me, we got our glasses and I opened the couch, it became kind of a sofa kind of a bed, just so that we could seat and put our feet up.

"Are you ok?" He took a sip from his glass and after swallowing he took a deep breath.

"I have a concussion from having being hit by a wood board by an unsub, I had the biggest fight with my father, which may seem silly but I have never fought him, in all my life. I quit a job that I loved, got re-hired, and finally I just broke up with a wonderful guy over the phone." After some time quietly I continued. "So, basically not my worse week yet." He looked at me and started laughing.

"Ok, we may have it tied." I rested my head when my stomach grumbled. "Ok, even I heard that, let's call for a pizza." Some times things ended up alright.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I hope you like this chapter.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 02 = In Name and Blood<p>

I couldn't believe this was happening, people say profilers are paranoid, that we tended to see too much when we were home, but all that was ridiculous. When the phone rings and no one is there, but after ringing it again your wife answers and its her sister, that makes anyone to pay attention.

When that happens more times in those two weeks than I can count, things start to get ridiculous. I tried calling her out on it several times, but she always had an excuse, she always tried fighting me into dropping it.

After those two weeks she acted like she we were good, like our marriage was working, like things were great. But they weren't, I was trapped, I was angry, and I felt like a pawn.

And then when my two weeks were finally up I had to give up my life's dream job. To make matters worse Strauss decided to treat me like a convicted criminal of some sort, that was always fun and it always ended up happening. Prentiss interrupting our meeting however was not.

"Sorry to interrupt." From the look on her face, she wasn't sorry at all to see Strauss in the room. "Sir, I've decided to resign from the FBI effective immediately." The only thing on my mind was, what the hell happened on those two weeks?

"I don't understand." She had fought me tooth and nails to get this job, she had prove time and again that she was prepares for it, she was willing to learn and help and be helped which in the academy was a hard thing to find.

"I'm taking the Foreign Service exam, with my connections I stand a good chance of landing in the State Department." Now I knew something was wrong, one of the first things this woman said to me was that she hated politics, she didn't ask her parents to interfere in her career because she was a proud independent woman.

"Prentiss I think that is a mistake." I needed time to talk to her, without Strauss here. Wait, Strauss hand was all over this, I don't know how, yet. But somehow, Strauss was doing this she was trying to tear us apart.

"Well don't try to talk me out of it, Garcia saw my name on the list and she already tried. If she can't talk someone out of doing something, no one can." She looked decided, like there was no coming back. "Sorry for the interruption. But sir, it's good to see you back. The team needs you." She knew Strauss was after me, she made sure her massage was given loud and clear, but I wasn't the intended target.

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><p>As I got home, the whole I felt trapped in just kept getting bigger and closing tighter on me. The team was clearly struggling with Strauss not letting them do their job right and messing up the little bit of headway they had, if things kept on like that, this unsub would get away. The phone rang again and after not getting a answer and understanding where this was going I started to get angry. Did she think I was and idiot?<p>

"Do you want to explain this?"

"Why? You never have time anyway, you are always running to another case, another good time."

"Good time? Really, that is what I do on cases have a good time?" She was getting ridiculous on this mission to blame me for everything.

"No Aaron, that is not what I meant."

"And I have being here, no cases, for two weeks, but you didn't want to address this then, so I'm asking now. Are we going to talk about this? Because you and I both know what this means, and Jessica is not it."

Her cellphone started ringing.

"You are not going to get that? It's for you." She left in a huff slamming the door and acting like a teenager. If I was honest this was getting me tired.

I went to Jack's room and we started playing together, for a while now I only had peace when dealing with Jack, and that was all I did when I was home. I took him to the park, to the zoo, we cooked together, got ice creams, played soccer and I felt free.

Haley and I needed to talk, things were getting unbearable. We had to solve this.

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><p>"It is never going to stop."<p>

"This is who I am."

"No, this is what you do."

"We will talk, when this case is over." I left our bedroom and started to get down the hall when I hear her scream at me.

"Give your son a kiss before you leave."

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><p>I got Garcia to give me Prentiss address, something's needed to be brought to light, but right now this case needed to be solved, and we needed the entire team to do it, and Prentiss was an important part of it.<p>

As she opened the door the posture told me she didn't want me there, and that she had already started building a wall so that when all the team found out she was gone, she could deal with the calls, and visits that would come.

I decided to talk first and analyze the place later, if everything happened according to plan, she was going with me, and it would give me time to profile.

"Can I come in?" She kept quiet, made motion for me to come in and was taking a defensive position against me.

"The team needs us. They are working a case in Milwaukee. Gideon hasn't shown up. And don't tell me you quit or I put in for a transfer."

"You put in for a transfer?" Right, she didn't know about that.

"They are both still hung up in the system, so technically, we're in dereliction of duty by not being there. " Maybe that was not the best way to distract her from the fact that I was also leaving the team.

"I'm sorry I can't go." I had to throw my last card, she was stubborn like a mule.

"Right. Sorry I barged in." I started walking back to the door.

"Wait, wait. Can I ask? Why are you really here?" Got her.

"I told you." I knew I wasn't getting off with just that, but seeing her lift one eyebrow at me was kind of funny, she didn't need to worry about me saying anything, we were both leaving. "I think Strauss came to you and asked for dirt on me."

"Why would she do that?" She wanted to see how much I knew, and how much I thought she was involved into it.

"I think if you have your eyes on top leadership at the FBI you want to know who might stand in your way." I didn't really think she wanted that, but I needed her angry, I needed her to see that I was here because we needed her.

"And what could I have told her?" She was getting angry, and I really wanted her to see my point.

"That one of my agents might have killed a suspect in cold blood, or another might have a serious drug problem, which I didn't report, and if Strauss had any evidence my career would be over." I knew my team's problems, I knew what my faults were, but I also would protect those people, her included. "I think she put you on our team and expected something in return, and to your credit you quit rather then whisper in her ear."

"I told you, I hate politics." And that is why I want her to stop this crazy idea of leaving, her life was in the team, in my team.

"Come to Milwaukee, I'll make you a deal" She was like me, I could bet I was right "If your ready bag isn't here, packed, I won't bug you anymore. If it is, I want you on that plane with me. One more case."

"I already turned in my badge and my gun." Those didn't matter, for now would be together on one more case.

"That's just hardware." I could feel the corners of my lifting up, and I tried to fight it. She was coming with me. "The plane leaves in two hours, so you have one more hour to get everything you need in order."

I would finally get time to look around.

"I just need to get a few things from upstairs, I'll be right back" I would be glad if she didn't take two hours getting ready, that always made me angry at Haley.

I could see she liked reading, a lot. She had more books then anyone I know, I hadn't being to Reid's so maybe not as many as him, but this was impressive, and of several different types. Work related, academy, college, fun, research, classics and the list went on.

She had a bar, something that I thought it was funny, when we went out as a group she only had beers, the girls had also commented that, but apparently she was a fan of the harder stuff, I could see a couple of open bottles of whiskey and even some closed one, also wine and brandy.

The coffee table was full of the text for the Foreign Service exam, she liked to study at on the floor, confortable. She had two boxes near the stairs, and that made me worry, was she already planning on moving?

Just as I was getting close to the boxes she came downstairs.

"Are you moving again?" I said pointing at the boxes. I looked up and saw that she had changed her clothes, had her go back and looked as ready as ever for a case, that was astonishingly quick.

"No, it's not my stuff" She didn't elaborate, was she involved with someone? Or maybe a roommate? "Hotch, I wasn't put here because I knew how to profile. You were right, someone did put me there, but I didn't know and…" That was what the doubting herself and the weight we all could feel on her shoulders were about.

"Prentiss, this week has being hell, from what I gathered, you have being with this sentence over your head and thinking of what to do, and knowing your mother, she must have had a few choice of words when she found out." Ambassador Prentiss knew how to put someone in their place, of that I had first hand experience. "But you are a good profiler, don't doubt that." I was confident in what I told her, she was good at this and it would be a great loss for the BAU.

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><p>We were on the plane, and she was avoiding me. As soon as I was done with Strauss one of the paramedics told me we should probably keep an eye on her but refused to elaborate, so I passed along the message to Morgan and sat down in front of her for the trip.<p>

As we flew I knew her head was bothering her, she would wince, kept changing her position and huffing, it was almost driving up the wall.

"You can tell me anytime" Damn

"It doesn't hurt." Stubborn

"Really, not one little bit? Maybe if I turn the reading light on." Woman

I decided to let it go, she was probably not going to take much more and ask me to drive her to the hospital or home, I would make sure Morgan would do it for me, I still had a long and difficult conversation with Haley to go through. Her cellphone took me back to reality.

"Prentiss. Hi. You need an answer, right? Your meeting is in the morning. I… Liam I" After a few minutes she got up and went to the bathroom. Who was Liam, and what could be wrong? After some time she came back with a washed face, red nose and the sniffles. Something wasn't right, but I wasn't going to interfere for now, it was personal, and if the agent didn't bring the personal problems to you, you can't do anything as a Unit Chief.

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><p>The moment I stepped inside the house I knew something was wrong, at this time Jack would be all amped up from dinner and running and trying to get me or Haley to play with him, but I was met with a impossible silence.<p>

When I went upstairs and saw their things gone I knew what she had done, she was trying to blame me for the problems we had, as if my job was the only wrong thing that we had between us.

I got back to my car and drove to her sister's house, there wasn't another place she would go, especially with Jack. As I got there I saw her getting out of the house and closing the door. If she thought she would keep my son from me she didn't know me.

"I want to see my son." I got out of the car and started walking to the door.

"Aaron, I'm not going to keep Jack from you, I just want to talk to you first. Please, please." I stopped in front of her, if she wanted to have this conversation here, in the middle of someone else's yard, it was fine by me.

"Talk then, I want to see Jack before he goes down."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left like this, I should have talk an done things when you were in the house, but I was so angry, so jealous." Jealous?"

"Aaron please. I never said it made sense, but from some time now I have hated your job and I helped make our lives a living hell, and I'm sorry for that. But if those two weeks suspension taught us anything, it was that you can't live without the BAU, and I can't live with it."

"Haley…"

"We were different people when we got married, that I know it's true. And I don't mean that this job made you better or worse. We are just two people who grew apart. We have being together for so long now, that I really believe we were just together out of routine." She was crying now, and in my heart I knew we were just deciding to end a twenty years relationship.

"I'm sorry." There wasn't much for me to say.

"I am too. Especially for what you had to live those last two weeks, you didn't deserve that." She was admitting the affair, and affair. For an instant I thought about asking her, about demanding information, and how long and all those things. But would it help? Would it make a difference, we weren't even ending because of it.

"I know, but we both did this, we are ending this." I didn't want her to feel all that guilt, because I knew some of it was mine too. "I really don't want to be away from Jack, Haley, he is everything to me." I got a little disparate now, in court the mother always had more chances of getting the kid, and a parent that traveled as much as I did had even less chance.

"Aaron, you can see Jack as much as you can, because I never doubted that you would want that. You get every weekend you are here as well as a weekday, and if you are away you get the same amount when you are back." Hearing her say the words took a weight out of my heart, she would let me see Jack, she would help me figure the schedule and my job out.

"I know you are not leaving the BAU, I know you can't." I looked at her curious. "I saw the news, the little boy was in a house with a monster like that, and I was so glad you were there, I was so glad that you had helped." She looked genuine happy about the outcome of the case. "Wait, they said an agent had being injured, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Prentiss took a wood board to the head, and is trying to tell us all that she is fine. When I left she was sleeping in her chair." I laughed at the absurd of it, I should have made sure she was fine, but things were piling up.

"Oh my God Aaron, why are you laughing?" Haley joined me laughing and for the life of me, I had no idea why.

"I don't know." I was trying to stop when my phone rang. "Hotch."

"OMG boss man, I have bad, bad news. Super power raven girl came to see me, and I, in my unbelievable silliness, shook her a little too hard, well not really I actually spin her and she threw up, and she knows I have a date, and she wont let me take her to the hospital and.."

"Garcia slow down.."

"Well she got sick, she said she refused the medical care the paramedics wanted to take her to the hospital for, and they said she should not fly, which she disregarded." I was going to kill Prentiss, I knew she wasn't fine, I knew she was keeping something. But that something being that she probably had a concussion and couldn't fly was not one of them.

"Uhn boss man.."I did not like the sound of that.

"Yes Garcia?"

"She left."

"HOW CAN YOU ALLOW A CONCUSSIONED PERSON TO LEAVE?" That was freaking great, and here I was thing Haley would be the pain in my ass tonight.

"I didn't, I'm sorry. I'm looking for the security camera's. Just a second, just a second." The women in my life were trying to get me crazy, that had to be the answer. "She left with Anderson." I noted the doubtful tone in her voice and I had the same weird thought, Anderson?

"Agent Anderson?" Creepy guy, but a nice one. "Ok, I'll call him and ask where he took her, and then I'm going there. Goodbye Garcia."

"Is everything ok?" I looked up from the text I had gotten on my phone. I had almost forgotten Haley.

"Apparently Prentiss decided to lie to me and say she was fine, when actually the paramedics told her she needed to go to the hospital to see the concussion she has and told her not to fly." From Haley's face she knew what I would do to Prentiss when I found her.

"Do you have time for Jack or…"

"Yes I do, I sent a text to the agent that is taking her home and he said they are stuck in traffic, so it should be fine."

"Good luck to her." We both walked inside the house and Jack came running at me.

"You know this was something that I liked to see those two weeks, it just confirmed to me, that you are a dad, you were born for it Aaron." I smiled and kept looking at Jack, she was right, he was everything.

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><p>I got to her floor and walked to her apartment, I was tired and in need of a shower, a good night of sleep, and maybe a drink. I wasn't much of a drinker but sometimes it was a much needed relaxing step before bed.<p>

I got to her door and to my unfortunate surprise her door was open, she was definitely not on top of her game, she would never do something so careless like this. Even not knowing her so well I knew she wouldn't be stupid like this.

She was on her couch, legs under herself and a glass of, what appear to be whiskey, on her hand. She was drinking after a concussion, what was he suppose to do with someone like this?

"Haven't we done this once already." She was looking at me with a real lost expression, and I knew she was very much trying to decided if this was happening or not.

"How did you get here?" I asked naturally, I knew better then to start of with an attitude.

"I live here, what does it matter? How did you get inside?" She didn't even realize the door was open, she had to go to the hospital.

"Prentiss, do you remember how you got to your apartment?" She tried to remember, apparently that didn't work.

"Not really, shit where did I leave my car?" She was getting worried, and I didn't really wanted to scare her too much, at least not when she was hurt.

"You went to the airport with me, you didn't have a car in the BAU."

"Hotch, how did I get home?" I cracked at that, she was starting to sound like a drunken person, but it didn't look like she had being here long, at least not with what agent Anderson said.

"You have a concussion, you probably don't remember but you got a ride with agent Anderson" She made a disgusted face, which didn't help my humor at the whole thing. "And you decided to drink, do you really think it's wise, you were hit in the head with a board, for god's sake." She should stop drinking.

"Calm down, I don't feel anything anymore, Garcia shouldn't spin people with concussions."

"Believe me she learned her lesson, she almost had a heart attack when she saw you were gone, and I screamed at her over the phone, which I have already apologized for by the way." I explained

"Well if everything is good, goodbye." She got up to walk me to the door and I could see she was fine doing that at least.

"I'm not leaving." Was she insane? "You have a concussion and you are drinking, it would be beyond irresponsive for me to leave." Did she believed me to be this irresponsible?

"Hotch, you have a wife and kid. I'm sure I can stop drinking now and stay alive until morning, so you can definitely go home." Well not so much on the wife, and the kid was put to sleep before I had to hunt her ass down, so things were fine.

"That isn't a issue." Besides the whole, my marriage is over and I'm going to have to start dividing everything we lived and sell the house that has our whole memories, I really needed to step away and analyze what happened today.

"Ok then, if you are staying you are drinking." I was about to protest by looking at her one eyebrow up, and what the hell, if she started to show any signs of not feeling well we would go to the hospital. The fight would end up there anyway, damn stubborn woman.

"Are you ok?" I took a sip from a glass she gave me and a deep breath. I shrugged my shoulders, was I ok? I think I would need a few days to think about it.

"I have a concussion from having being hit by a wood board by an unsub, I had the biggest fight with my father, which may seem silly but I have never fought him, in all my life. I quit a job that I loved, got re-hired, and finally I just broke up with a wonderful guy over the phone." After some time quietly she continued. "So, basically not my worse week yet." I laughed at that, that was a really bad week apparently, for the both of us.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey, how are you guys liking it so far?**

**Any observations?**

**Have a good reading.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 03 = Scared to Death.<p>

I woke up feeling refreshed, but having very little idea of where I was. I remembered that we had the day off today, so the time wasn't much of a problem.

After looking around the pale beige room I figured this must be Prentiss guest room. Last night we had shared a large pizza with a bottle of whiskey, which we had obviously finished and after realizing that she was almost asleep on the couch I helped her upstairs.

Put her in her bed and took of her boots off, but left her in her clothes, it would be too weird to do anything else. I went back to the hallway and decided to see if there was a guest room available, it wouldn't do my back any good to sleep on the couch if there was a good bed waiting. For my luck there was a full second bedroom, with bathroom and already ready for a guest.

If I was honest with myself it would be impolite to do all this without the owner awareness, but since she was passed out in the next room. I got into the shower and spent a good 20 minutes under the hot spray, after that I put my boxers and undershirt on, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Looking around I saw a warm cup of coffee in the bedside table and for the life of me I did not want to leave the bed, problems that needed solution waited for me after leaving this bed so started drinking my coffee.

A knock on the door took me out of my thoughts and I heard Prentiss's voice.

"Hotch, uhh…Sir?" She didn't have anything to feel embarrassed about, I knew how getting hurt on the job sometimes was more of a pride injure then anything else, and I would probably have done the same, but I also have someone to look after me at home and she didn't and that is what I was pissed at. Had, I had someone. Well that is that.

So I would probably let her be embarrassed for a little while, but not for getting hit.

"Agent Prentiss?"

"Sir, if we don't leave soon, we are going to be late at the office." She didn't even remember we weren't coming in, did the woman remember anything from yesterday?

"Agent Prentiss, do you remember anything from last night?" I hear some shuffling out side and knew she was nervous.

"Uhh….that is…well sir, very little."

"We don't have to go in today, with Gideon not showing up, both of us still having to talk things over with Strauss, she said not to come in so she can have everything done by the time we show up tomorrow, after all you did get a concussion."

"Yes I was wondering about the headache and slight memory loss."

"That could be because we drank a bottle of whiskey, but that is just a guess."

"Oh God. Did I say anything?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." I smiled at that, she had shared a little bit, about her mother making her crazy and having ended what sounded to be a good relationship, nothing embarrassing.

"That's good, I think. I'll leave you alone then."

I decided to have another shower before going home, I knew I was stalling but who could blame me? I didn't want to go to an empty house, I could call Haley, maybe have Jack for the day.

I left the room in my undershirt and pants with my coffee mug, I knew that in the team the only person as addicted to the black substance as me was Prentiss. I learned not to wait to get my cups of coffee after she started working there, more then once all I found in the break room was an empty pot and her guilty face drinking from her mug.

"Holy mother of God." The woman's eyes were wide open.

"What?" I looked behind me, nothing there.

"Nothing sir." She looked down at the kitchen counter and started to move the stuff around. I looked at myself and say that it was probably the weirdest thing to see your boss, dressed like this, after all she only had seen me without a suit once.

"Yes, I know. Is there any more coffee left or did you already drank the gallon?"

"I…uh…I am making more." The red spots on her cheeks looked permanent and she still wouldn't look up, apparently today we had a shy version of agent Prentiss.

"Are we going to talk now?" I asked bluntly. We had a few things to go over for some time now.

"We have to talk?"

"You haven't being acting like yourself, you doubted your abilities as a profiler, had what appears to be very serious fight with your father, and from the looks of those pretty heave boxes ended a long term relationship, over the phone, while you had just gotten a concussion." I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Ok, I'm sorry about the whole concussion thing, but I'm sure I didn't even have one, don't people get pretty bad? I just forgot some things that happened yesterday night. On the fact that I had a fight with my father, I'm sorry sir, but it's none of your business, I can assure you this is not affecting my job."

I knew she would get defensive, but what could I do, unfortunately the devil woman had decided to use her against me, and now she was my obligation somehow.

"Prentiss"

"No, no. I'm not done. The fact that I ended or not a relationship, had absolutely nothing to do with the job, or how I am, so no implications that you might feel will make me a worst profiler."

"Prentiss"

"Not done yet. I know I was off those past weeks, but honestly I applied for the BAU for longer then I would have liked and always got a no. So when they decided to finally transfer me, I believed I had showed something that made them, you, whoever the hell that I was a profiler, or at least could learn. It's not cool to learn you are just a pawn on someone's chess game."

"Look Strauss was trying to use you against me, yes. But would she put a incompetent agent on my team to do that, no. Would I have kept you around for that long knowing you weren't a dedicated and trainable profiler, absolutely no."

"Thank you sir, but you don't have to look out for me. I can take care of myself and most important, you don't have to feel like I'm you responsibility just because of the whole thing. I'm old enough to know the rules of the game."

"I don't think that."

"You don't have to lie."

It seemed she just wanted me out of the there, if she had a week like the one she described I would also want to be alone, well I didn't really, I wanted Jack.

"I'll get out of your hair now, I'll see you at work." She nodded her head and took me to the door. I left without saying goodbye, things were already weird as they were.

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><p>After getting home I changed my clothes and called Haley, she said she would bring Jack over, since she and Jessica wanted to go out, and that I could just drop him off before work the next day. Even as weird as it was discussing those things now I was glad we were doing ok and that she was taking this so well.<p>

In the beginning I believed she would be difficult with my being away from work, and all the trips and stuff, but apparently getting away from each other made a big difference in how we communicated with each other.

Sean called me that night and we talked about the whole thing, Haley and him were never close and he decided that I needed to get back on my horse, what he was talking about I don't know. He wanted me to start looking at woman, said I never had done it like a normal man, because Haley and I had gotten together so young.

He said I had put it in my head that I was her husband and the BAU chief and forgot the other parts of my life, and that he believed Jack was the best thing that happened because it made me stop and learn to be a father, so he believed I could find my way and start to get a life too.

As I lied down to sleep all I could think about was what Sean and I had talked, I couldn't remember the last time I had looked to a woman, or the last time I had just actually appreciated a woman, not even my ex-wife. I felt like I had just being ignoring this part of me for so long.

And that is how I got myself into a very weird predicament. On Friday we were all on edge to see if we would get a slap on the wrist and be grounded home, or if we would be able to go on cases, so as soon as I got in I told JJ to look for a case, before Strauss could ground us and hid inside my office.

And that is when I decided to let my eyes wonder for the first time in years. Why did I hear Sean, he was insane and a bad influence on me apparently, because he just had to talk about how I should start noticing woman, and the first one that took my attention was a subordinate.

Why did she had to decide to wear freaking red today of all days, she is always in clothes that aren't noticeable, so why today of all days to start something new? I hadn't noticed when I came in, because she had a suit covering it, but when I looked down my window to the bullpen, she had taken it off, and the tank top with the most vibrant shade of red appeared.

And my attention was lost, or rather it was hook by her, and I didn't even had that much contact with her. Ok, Prentiss is on my team, and spending the night on her apartment might have capitalized some sort of different reaction, because just the fact that she is using a red tank top is not enough reason for me to be caught staring at her several times. If I don't snap out of this, things will get messy.

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><p>I was relived that by the second day the red tank top from hell was gone, and I knew I was over reacting, I was sensible to a subordinate I was still having to figure things out with Haley.<p>

She shouldn't be living with her sister, and she didn't need to look for a job right away, there was Jack to think about, we didn't need to hurry with anything. But it was useless she refused to move back, she didn't want me to support her anymore, and she wanted to share the expenses.

And to top it off, Prentiss was changing pants like there was no tomorrow. She and Morgan had being going back and forth between the dumpsites and the stations, so she and Morgan would put clothes that would allow them to get more mobile and dirty. But I didn't kept track of how many times Morgan changed, Prentiss on the other hand.

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><p>On the plane back I decided to try and finish some paperwork, Haley promised that I could spend the day with Jack, and so I wanted to have everything out of the way, so as soon as I was done tomorrow I could leave the office, even a few hours earlier if I was able.<p>

When Morgan started questioning me I realized that the whole team was dealing with something, Gideon had just left, and even if I did address that, I had to do more, Spencer and him were very connected. There was also JJ and Garcia, after all they had known the man for some time now, and they were also dealing with it.

Prentiss I knew didn't want me anywhere near her right now, she was a closed off person and her words about me not needing to be responsible for her showed that she would resent me if I did start snooping as I was used to doing with the other two woman.

Morgan was right, we had done just fine without Gideon, and it showed how much this team was ready to take the responsibilities of the BAU without needing people like Jason Gideon, I was sorry my friend had being so severely burnt out in this unit, but sometimes that was how it went. Still out team was ready to keep on.

Telling Morgan that there was a chance for Haley to be back was strategically, I knew things weren't going to go back, and I knew that both of us were not in a place where reconciliation was even wanted anymore. But if he thought that there was a chance for things to get back to normal, he wouldn't hover much, or tell others, which was what I was waiting for.

Right now I just wanted to finish the paperwork and a restful night of sleep, I just had to wish that the dreams wouldn't be filled with red tank tops, I really had to make myself wish for that, otherwise things would get even more weird.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey people,**

**It's getting harder to write, very different.**

**I hope you like this.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 4 = Children of the dark.<p>

Pissed couldn't even start to described how mad I was.

How dare him, how petty of him, I was so angry, the bastard had gone too far, and she was not in the mood. She had being the first one on the plane, and had decided to get on the first chair and kept her eyes straight ahead, the other would know she did not want conversation.

But the bastard decided to ignore that and seat in front of her, she didn't give him any attention, she believed he would stop at that, so she just turned her head to the window and kept ignoring him.

"Prentiss I…" And that was the end of the peace and quiet, so she just got up and moved to seat somewhere else. And he better start taking a hint, the next step was a fat lip.

The plane was quiet and she could hear him talking to Haley, asking to speak to Jack and a feeling of jealousy filled her making her sad and alone, was it too wrong to ask for that, she knew she didn't deserve it, but when other people showed it to her, she got ashamed.

When she was sixteen she had thrown away any chances of ever becoming a mother. The operation had gone wrong and the butcher that had done it just explained that her chance of ever caring a pregnancy to term was very slim.

She had never told her mother the extend of the complications that happened, after years of hiding what had happened in Italy she had told her mother of the most horrendous thing she had ever done, she had expected to be banned, scorned even, but her mother had just gathered her in her arms and cried with her, for the baby that was never born.

Her father had never being told, of the pregnancy or that at the end she had was left crippled, and without any reason to ever find peace on the subject.

For most of her life she had believed that it was God's way of preventing her of having children, forbidding her of being a mother. She truly thought it was for the best that no kid should be subjected to her, and that had deeply depressed her.

And then she was offered to adopt a child, someone trusted her enough, loved her enough that he had offered her his own child, to love and to care for, she had almost taken it. It took everything in her not to give in, not to disappear with him and the little boy. To form a family, forget obligations, forget duty, her past and her mistakes, she had almost done it.

But things had caught up with her, she knew what she needed to do, and loved that little boy so much that she would protect that precious boy, even from his own father, even if it killed her.

She dried her eyes as she hear the rest of the team get on the airplane, that part of her life needed to go back to the back of her mind, it was over and done with, no turn backs. She looked outside, the night was calm and the sky clean, they would probably have a very quiet flight home. JJ sat in front of her, taking her mind away back to reality.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"They are good people, Carrie's family." Did that mean what I thought it would mean?

"Good. I'm glad."

"I think it's a good idea thought."

"What's that?"

"You. Kids." He had actually talked about it with other people, he had discussed me, this private matter, my anger turned ten times worse, he was an abusing his position, and she had a damn problem with it. "I can see it."

She knew JJ was trying to pacify things, and not only because of their ass of a boss. She and the girls had become closer in the last few months, they had shared a little, and she knew JJ understood. And for some reason she felt better at what JJ said.

"Yeah?" JJ nodded and her mind went back to the little boy, to the baby that was never born and to Carrie. Maybe right now wasn't the appropriate time, but maybe she could think about it, make plans, organize it, and maybe she should start talking about it, about bringing a baby home.

Morgan brings beer to JJ and me, I stay in my seat but I tune them out, the thing that Carrie said about being too late to be a good daughter and asking if there were any happy families was so sad. She had lost everything and she didn't know what else to do.

My thoughts turned back to my mother, she had asked me to go to a party at the embassy with her and dad, I always hated those things, so I had used dad's and my fight to get out of it. But I guess I could make an effort, she had said that he was probably not coming and there were even people from the FBI going, so she wasn't going to be just surrounded by idiot politicians that had a second agenda for everything.

She would call the ambassador when she got home, she could still go out to get a dress before tomorrow night, and since they had just gotten back they were probably not going to go away anytime soon.

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><p>As the plane touched down and we were all leaving the plane I realized that I was one of the last ones and that Hotch was behind me, so I stopped and waited for JJ to get out and then turned to him.<p>

"I get it, you are the boss, and it doesn't matter other people's feelings, and that you don't like me but that's all fine, but start talking about my personal life again sir, and things will get ugly, have a nice night." I turned my back to him and quickly went down the stairs.

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><p>Instead of going home and getting into a sad state of eating and being miserable I decided to go for a run, clear my mind, and just tire myself out, best way to let the anger go. He was such a hypocrite, he never says anything about his personal life, and as a matter of fact he never makes other people's business public, so what was this? Personal attack or just showing me my place?<p>

It started to rain, but I just kept running, which probably wasn't a good idea, but I was angry, and by the time I had no energy left and went back to my apartment I was just as wet as I was exhausted.

And for my absolutely displeasure waiting in front of my front door was The Bastard, I had gone back to my special nickname for him. I really didn't want to talk, especially with him, but from the looks of things, we were going to go at it.

"Go away." I said going to my door without looking directly at him.

"We need to talk."

"We don't need to do anything. You need to leave." I started unlocking my door, never had regretted the three locks before today.

"Prentiss.."

"No, you don't get a chance to talk, I believe you talked enough to me, and about me for the time being." I opened the door and stepped inside, I was just about to close the door when he started getting difficult.

"Look I know you are mad, but we are talking. Tonight." After taking his foot of the door and pushing his way inside, he closed the door and looked at me. "Go change and I'll wait."

I lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't want you to get sick." I crossed my arms and waited.

"You have five minutes to talk." He looked resigned and huffed before starting.

"Look, I was out of line, but I can't let you adopt every lost kid we find on cases. I needed to give you a shock of reality because you know how hard this job is, and how hard it is to back off when we need to. I never had to worry about you getting too attached on cases, or getting emotional or loosing it, and I'll admit that I handled this wrong." He started to walk around. "But damn it Prentiss, you can't do that now, I can't start worrying about you. Morgan is still dealing with Chicago, JJ and Reid are still seeing the psychologist, Gideon is gone and I am seriously loosing it."

Ok, that got my attention.

What The Hell.

"Look…"

"No, I'm not done." He interrupted me looking at me out of breath and with a intense look. "I'm sorry I told JJ about this, but most of the times, I don't know how to handle you, every single time I think I know how you'll react you surprise me, and more times then not, you do it by getting angry at me." He threw his hands up. "I told her because I thought it would be good to have someone to talk to, another woman on the job that is childless, but hey, you get pissed."

"Hotch."

"No, I haven't had a woman give that many missed signals since Haley, between the two of you I'm getting insane. And I realized that I did some things wrong, but I honestly didn't mean to, I just wanted to make sure you knew that this is a hard decision that we have to deal with almost every day on this job." He sat on the couch and rested his head in his hands. "I just need to know you are okay."

I was completely lost, and from the looks of it he had just lost it in my leaving room.

"I'm okay." I mean, what do you tell your boss when he is clearly in the middle of a break down? I had never heard him talk like that, ever.

"Good, good." Both of us stayed in a very awkward silence.

"Hotch. Are you okay?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Well the guy was down, I had to ask.

"Not particularly." He looked up. "Can we drink? Like last time?"

"Ahhh…..Sure." He wanted to stay and drink, that was normal, note on the sarcasm. Loosing it, having a break down, call it what you want, the man wasn't fine.

"Okay" I was just debating leaving the man alone or not to go change when he got up and went to my cabinet and got the bottle of whiskey, well at least I knew he was staying. "I'm going to change, I'll be back."

"Emily." I turned back as I heard my first name.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. And thank you." I nodded and turned back to walk upstairs.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey, sorry about the wait, but this is a good chapter.**

**Does anyone read those A/N? hehehehe**

**Thanks for the reviews and for reading it.**

**Till next time.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 5 = Seven Seconds<p>

I left her apartment before she woke up the next day, we drank the whole night barely saying anything. I didn't want to talk, not about anything important, but it felt good to have someone there, just sharing a drink and enjoying the night.

We had today and tomorrow off and then it was the weekend so Haley was letting me take Jack until Monday, and I was ready to enjoy my time with him as much as I could.

I didn't really wanted to explain to her why and what the whole thing last night was about. I had taken it out on her, at the police station in Denver. I couldn't let her fall apart, I couldn't let her get broken. Broken agents left, broken agents burned out, and I wasn't going to let that happen to her.

I didn't know why that was something that I felt the need to address on the case, why I felt so strongly about. And so I decided not to, I felt compelled to make sure she was ok, and I felt comfortable drinking with her, for now that was all I was going to think about.

I got back to Jessica's house I wanted my day with Jack to start early, and starting with breakfast was a good thing. I had gotten a few pastries that the girls liked and some things for Jack.

"Hey, you are just in time for breakfast." Haley said opening the door and letting me through. We went to the kitchen and I got a pastry out and started eating it.

"Where is Jack?" I asked leaning against the counter.

"He is still sleeping, I think he might be getting a cold. So if you want to take him next weekend." She offered. She knew I hadn't ever taken care of Jack, while he was sick, by myself, and she was trying to give me a hand, but I was determined, I was going to be a dad, even if a part time one, I was going to be a whole dad.

"It's fine, I want to take him." I said smiling, I was feeling way much better, even though the last case was extremely difficult, and that it was probably going to take some time to get past it, we were all going to be okay.

"Aaron?" I looked at Haley and saw her looking at me with a strange face. "Are those the same clothes you were in yesterday?"

Crap.

"Uhn…yes?" And that was a great answer. Nothing like acting like a teenager caught by their parent, to your ex-wife.

"Aaron, I'm not going to be angry that you started dating again." It was a bit awkward, and with that phrase I knew that what we used to have was finally over. I didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, we had drifted apart a long time ago.

"Yes, I'm wearing the same clothes, but it's not what you think." She started laughing. "I went to have drinks with Prentiss and spent the night in her guest bedroom. That is it."

"Prentiss really?" We stood there on a very awkward pause.

"Haley…"

"That doesn't work on me anymore Aaron, we don't need to fight about it. About this." She said grabbing one of the pastries from the bag and jumping to seat on top of the counter.

"I just had to apologize and we started drinking, and I went to sleep, in the guest bedroom, end of story." I was going to regret telling her this, since our separation almost two months ago, I felt most of the time, like I was talking to my annoying little sister, and I already had a annoying little brother to feel like this about.

"Apologize?"

"Yes, I made a….. not nice comment and then did something stupid."

"Huh…. And the drinking, is that new?"

"We don't drink often Haley, no need for worries."

"Not often, does that mean you drank before?" Just before I had to answer that question I heard Jack calling for her.

"And I'm going to see Jack." I started walking in the direction of the bedrooms, This was a very odd conversation to have to your ex-wife about you subordinate.

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><p>"Hey buddy, let's get you into the shower." Jack had definitely gotten sick, and from the looks of things I would have to get him to the emergency room, his fever was high.<p>

"Don't wanto daddy, I feel icky." He put his arms around my neck and I hugged him back, he was always so affectionate even when he was sick.

"I know buddy, that is why I want you to take a shower, to see if we can get your fever down. Okay?" He nodded and laid his head on my chest. I wasn't easy taking take of him when he was sick, but I liked it, I had never being the primary care taker before. If something was wrong, it was always Haley who took care of things, and it make me feel good that he wasn't against the change of me being the sole parent figure.

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><p>And just two hours later we were in the emergency room. Jack was clingy, upset, bored, and very, very sick. Apparently everybody else was too, as from the look of things tonight the room was full of people.<p>

"Come on Jack, daddy needs to check you in ok?"

"Don't wanto." He had a firm grip on my neck and wouldn't let go, I couldn't even see where I was going.

"Buddy, we need to see the doctor, otherwise we can't get you better." And that made him burst out crying. Great work Aaron. "Buddy it's going to be okay." I sat in one of the chairs, and started rubbing his back.

"Don't wanto." I could hear him talking with his face hidden in my neck, tonight was going to be a long night.

I got him a little further down on my lap, and tried to fill the forms they had given me out, no such luck, as Jack kept squirming, whining and being irritated.

"Em'ly" To my surprise my very excited son screamed happily, for the first time in the last several hours. I looked up and sure enough Prentiss was sitting down in a chair in the other side of the room, with a red nose, a box of Kleenex in her lap, she had gotten sick.

She waved at us, but made no motion to get close, so I did, after all Jack was getting very cross over the fact that he couldn't get closer to her.

"You got sick." I said sitting down on the chair next to her.

"Hi Em'ly" Jack said shyly, since when was he shy?

"Hey buddy, did you get sick?" She asked, her voice clearly sounded nasal and rough, I should have made sure she took a shower sooner. Jack nodded at her.

"We will be here a long time." She warned me. "I came in half an hour ago and the guy that was next to me said he waited two hours." She started running her fingers through Jack's hair.

"Can you take him so I can finish this up?" I knew she and Jack got along fine, and if I didn't finish his file soon, we would never get out of here.

"Sure, come here buddy." Jack almost jumped from my lap and easily laid his head in her chest and got comfortable, I shook my head, he would get anything with those puppy dog eyes of him.

I started filling out the file and in between I would look over to make sure both of them were ok, after all Prentiss was sick too. She had rested her head on the wall behind her with her eyes closed, the only indication I had she was awake being the hand alternating between rubbing his back and his hair.

"How are you feeling?" I asked after having dropped Jack's information's with the nurse at the front desk.

"Nasally?" She said with a smile. "My fever was a little high, so I decided to come."

"Good. Isn't he too heavy? I'm finished with the file, I can take him back."

"He is fine, he is warm and cozy." She snuggled him, and he let out a deep breath, it was disconcerting how comfortable those two were together

"It's weird being the only one taking care of him, but it feels good that he didn't call for Haley."

"Hotch, is Haley out of town?" And just like that I opened up without realizing.

"We aren't together anymore." We stayed quiet for a bit, I had told Morgan already, but this was the first time I wasn't sugar coting it, we would eventually get a divorce.

"Oh Hotch, I'm sorry."

"Thanks."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I'm just worried about Jack you know."

"You are doing a good job with Jack, he looks comfortable, with you." She finished.

"I hope so, I spend so much time away from him, the least I want is to is for all of this to affect him."

"He knows why you do this Hotch. You call him whenever we are away on cases, and I'm sure you do everything together when you are home."

"He likes to do everything together, even wanted to start shaving" He had come to the bathroom a few days ago and declared that he needed a shave. We both started laughing and Jack lifted his head from her chest.

"Hi" He said smiling.

"You confortable buddy?" I joked with him, he was completely attached to her, his legs around her hips, his arm over her shoulders and his head went back to her chest.

"Yeah, she cushy, like mommy." He smiled and hugged her. Prentiss burst out laughing and I could feel the heat on my face, he was starting the embarrass your parents face, and comment on your dad's subordinates female attributes seemed like a good place to start. God, she was never going to let me live this down.

"Okay, you can stop now." She was still laughing like there was no tomorrow. "The good honest opinion of a child, nothing can beat that."

"Well I'm just glad I'm cushy, nice to sleep huh honey?" Jack smiled and nodded his head. After some time he put his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes, I put my hand in his head and to check on his fever, he was still warm, but nothing too bad.

And then things got worse, my hand brushed her, where Jack's head was. On the cushy mound. I thought my face would combust from the heat.

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I was checking Jack's head, for the fever." She was trying to hold back the laugher, and I was almost angry with mortification.

"Just checking the cuchy?" She started laughing again, and I decided to get up and get us all some drinks, before she decided to start with the jokes. This was a nightmare, it had to be.

After what felt like a very long while Prentiss was called.

"Ms. Prentiss?" Emily quickly got up and we saw that Jack was asleep.

"Come on." She said.

"Uhnn.." What?

"Well do you want to wake him up?" She looked sick and tired, but still had a smile on her face. "And besides, you already felt me up today, nothing worse can happen." She turned around to follow the nurse.

"Fine, lets go."

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><p>The doctor was nice enough to also do Jack's consultation and then we were out of there, Prentiss had taken a taxi to the hospital, so the three of us went to the pharmacy together.<p>

The two had a cold, nothing serious, so just some fever and cold medicine were and we were good to go. I drove to Prentiss apartment, she looked more awake then she had in the waiting room.

"You should have gone change clothes, like I told you to."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She waved me off.

"Take Monday off."

"No."

"Prentiss.."

"No."

"Pre.."

"No! And stop insisting."

"Then stop being stubborn."

"Today is Friday, and there is a lot of time for me to rest and take lots of fluids, and therefore I'm not taking Monday off." She explained it, very sarcastically.

"You are a very inflexible woman."

"You just noticed that boss?" She smiled. "Thank you for the ride, and say goodbye to Jack for me, I hope he gets better soon." She got out of the car and looked at me from the passenger window that was open.

"Me too….. You were good with him, are good with him" Her expression was a little off, she knew I was going to address our elephant in the room. "I think you will be an amazing mother, I'm sorry for what I said and how I said it the other day. You have a way with kids."

"Bye Hotch." And with that she walked away.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:**

**I hope you like this one.**

**Thank you for all the reviews.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 06 = About Face<p>

I'm going to kill JJ. She could at least have told me to come wearing something nice. A text at 6 AM in the morning saying *wear a dress* was not a good enough warning that she should look nice, hence the quickly run to the bathroom to put make up and fix her hair.

Now Agent Rossi was coming and I had the worst dress on, and was mostly the worst dressed on the team. Well that didn't include Hotch or Reid, since one only wore the same thing every day, and let's face it, you had to work hard to look worst then Reid.

Morgan and I had agreed to go over a file, and then do paperwork, but Garcia had called him, so I probably had a good chance of going to annoy JJ before he was back.

"Seriously? You couldn't give me a better advice then that he was coming today? Now I'm the only one in horrible clothes." I complained entering JJ's office.

"Why would you need to wear good clothes today agent Prentiss? And why are you wearing a dress?" Oh God, JJ wasn't alone.

"Well…You know." Good line of reasoning thought Emily, you barely sound crazy.

"No, I couldn't say that I do." He was staring, intensely.

"To look presentable for agent Rossi." And today was probably the day I would be arrested at the FBI building for killing a very blond and very irritating fellow FBI agent.

"Prentiss is wearing a dress because of Dave?"

"Pretty much." Murder would be easy, and could bet with my reasons Garcia would help me hide the body.

"Prentiss, walk with me." I gave one last very dirty look at JJ before following him out.

"Sir?" I asked as we stepped out.

"I don't believe that I have to remind you how inappropriate complicated relationship between members of the same team are Prentiss, so I just wanted to clarify that David is coming back, and will be a part of this team." I really didn't know who I was angrier at.

"Sir, before you actually put more of your foot into your mouth. No, I'm not interested in agent Rossi, I don't even know him. But what I do know is the how old agents tend to judge woman working in the FBI, if they don't look their best or about how they handle the family life."

"I.."

"And for what I could gather, when agent Rossi left, there weren't any women working in the BAU, and we all can make a full profile of a guy that will be reluctant to work with woman. So if you will excuse me sir."

"Prentiss." He started following me, I wasn't even mad at him anymore, so what if he thought I was looking for a relationship.

"Hotchner"

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Like what?"

"Prentiss."

"Like telling me I was looking for a hook up?"

"I said I didn't mean it like that."

"Did you noticed that JJ is wearing make up and has new clothes on?"

"No, but.." Before he could start I continued and he realized I wasn't going to let him speak.

"And did you noticed that Garcia actually dyed her hair and has make up as well as new clothes on?"

"No I did not."

"And did any of them get a reminder of the appropriate relationship conduct between team members?"

"No."

"Oh! Then you think about that sir." I turned around and went to my table. I was actually funny to mess with him, I had no idea, I just found my private source of secret entertainment.

When I had joked in the hospital about the boob touch, he had gone major blush and didn't know where to look, or what to say, and I thought it was because of the place, and his son was in my lap. But now, pretending to be pissed, I could see he could get embarrassed by me easily.

But I knew for a fact that he could give as well as Morgan, and he provoked Morgan and Reid regularly, sometimes even Garcia. So ether it was me, or just the fact that I was the new and less intimate. Whatever it was, I was going to start using it for fun, he needed to let go a little, even more so that he was alone.

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><p>We were on the plane on our way to Texas and I really was down, we were going to miss Halloween. But unfortunately that was something just me and Reid were sad about.<p>

"I really want to be back before Halloween." I huffed as we got on the plane.

"That's right, you didn't tell us your planes for the special night. Big party or a date?" Morgan asked already with a smirk and a wink.

"None of the above, you creep. But I do enjoy staying at home and giving out candy for the kids. It was something I never did because of all the moving around, so I guess I am sucker for this tradition."

"I guess after I turned a teen I never bother doing that anymore." Piped in JJ.

"I was taking Jack this year, since Haley is out of town, but I guess we will leave it for next year." Hotch said sadly, we all knew he hated not being there for Jack, but since our talk I knew he was afraid of disappointing and making Jack resent him, now that he was taking some of the responsibility by himself.

"Well there is always next year." Agent Rossi said trying to lift the mood.

"Let's go over victimology." Hotch changed the subject.

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><p>I could see agent Rossi and Hotch in his office talking, but for my plan to work I needed to talk to Hotch before it got too late, and for that they needed to end the male bonding soon.<p>

When ten minutes passed and Morgan had to yet again tell me to stop clicking my pen, so I decided to interrupt the old days BAU reunion that was going on in the office upstairs.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to you Hotch?"

"Sure."

"I'm going home, this time around I'm not doing extra hours."

"I doubt it, you were always an over achiever." Both man laughed at their joke, and I just kept looking at my clock, come on, we were going to be here again.

"Well, I'm going. Good night you two." Rossi left and Hotch made motion for me to sit down.

"No, thanks. Look, you are going to pick up Jack today right?"

"Yes, why?" Hotch looked curious.

"After you get him, put him in his Halloween costume and take him to my place." I started walking to the door.

"What? Why?" He asking trying to stop me.

"You will see. I'll see you later."

* * *

><p>I got home and quickly started to call my neighbors, time was of short and I would have to hurry if I wanted to have everything ready for the little Hotchner.<p>

After getting things ready I decided to go the extra, since it seemed like they would still be a while and most of it was already done, I went to the kitchen. Time to get my hands dirty, I would take a shower later, when I had time.

At exactly eight I heard a knock on the door. Just in time.

"Hey."

"Miss Em'ly" I got two pair of arms wrapped tight around my legs.

"Hi Jack, how are you?"

"Good. I gots costume"

"Yeah you do. Hey Hotch, come in." After getting both of them off their coats and asking if they needed anything, I decided to start the nights fun, soon it would be Jack's bedtime.

"So Jack, daddy told me you were looking forward to go trick or treating?" I asked, and saw Hotch giving me a dirty look.

"Yes, but we not go." He said sadly.

"So since you missed Halloween and I missed it too, how about we go together to ask for candy?" His eyes immediately sparkled and he started nodding his head.

"Hmm…. Emily, Halloween is gone, there is no way to…."

"Leave it to me Hotch. Come on Jack, let's go get some candy." I got a bucket for the candy that I had stopped to by and went to the door. After directing the boys to my next door neighbor I nocked on the door.

"What do you say Jack?" I smiled down at him.

"Trick or Treat?" He giggled.

"Oh, look what we have here. What are you sweetie?" Mrs. Newman a very lovely old lady said opening the door.

"I Spiderman." He even did the pose for her.

"Oh, you deserve a lot of candy for that, here it is. Happy Halloween."

"Thanks" Hotch looked surprised at Mrs. Newman, but she just winked at him.

"Come on, there are still a lot of apartments to knock." I laughed at his face.

* * *

><p>We got inside my apartment with little Hotchner giggling happily and running around, tonight was a good night. He had gotten all the candy and was happy to have a late Halloween.<p>

"Who wants dinner?" I walked to the kitchen

"You made dinner?" Hotch looked scared.

"What does that mean? I know how to cook." I started getting the plates out.

"Seriously? I mean, it's just, you don't look the cooking type." He uncomfortable started helping me set the table.

"And what do I look like Hotch?" I am glad to say I had never seen the "deer in the headlights" look on Hotch's face before today.

"I…"

"I'm going to save your foot from your mouth and end this conversation here. But I do know how to do some things, I had to survive college after all." I put the pasta on the table. "I hope you boys like Italian."

"Italian what?" Jack asked coming into the room with his mouth dirty, oh boy, he had gotten to the candies before we got to him, we were going to have a hyper child soon.

"Food honey, you hungry?" I asked.

"Yes. You cook miss Em'ly?"

"Yes I did."

"It got to be yummy daddy. Let eats."

"Yes Jack, let's eat."

* * *

><p>"You have to let me clean up" Hotch had gone to the guest room to tuck Jack in, after a very big sugar high, he had crashed so Hotch just took him to the guest bedroom.<p>

I still didn't know when the whole feel welcome vibe had started going on, but both me and Hotch, outside work, were acting like we got along fine for years, even more so when Jack was around.

"It's mostly done." I was just finishing cleaning the pan.

"I'm sorry, you had all the trouble to cook, and I didn't even clean."

"It's fine, tonight went just as I imagine. A perfect Halloween experience for me and Jack." I was just as happy as Jack, I never got to do Halloween, and as an adult without kids all I could do was get the visitations on this special night. Doing it with a kid and seeing all that was really great, even more so with such a happy and easygoing kid like Jack.

"You really wanted to have Halloween." I nodded just as excited as jack had earlier and we both laughed. "You have to tell me how you got this done."

"I had about four pounds of candy that I had bought for this, and I really didn't want to be temped to eat it all. And you sounded so sad that Jack was going to miss it. I called the neighbors that I knew were nice and had kids. They all understood the need to do something for special in a occasion like this, I just gave them the candies I had, and we could enjoy our late Halloween."

"You called all this people just to make sure I could give a good Halloween to Jack?"

"Well….this was the only time I could ever go trick or treating. You know, adults can't really do that, so it was more selfish when you think about it." I rambled embarrassed.

"Emily, thank you. You made a very special night, for all of us."

"You are welcome, thank you for agreeing to it."

We sat down on the couch and I put my feet on the coffee table, he soon follow suit, and we sat comfortably in silence.

"David knows about the divorce."

"You told him?"

"He knew. He profiled the team." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"God, he is good. It took him what five minutes to read your poker face."

"Yes, that feels about right. You liked him?"

"Seriously, what is up with you and people liking him, or is it me liking him?"

"I'm just curious."

"Well don't be, I have no interest on agent Rossi. Weirdo."

"Yes, call your boss names."

"Come on, you totally made me loose it here. We don't talk about that."

"About me being your boss?" Ok I know it sounds insane, but to be the least bit confortable with him, I had to stop thinking about agent Hotchner, hence in my mind they were two different people.

"Yes. This." I made motion between both of us. "Isn't work related, that is why we don't talk about Agent Hotchner."

"I still call you Prentiss."

"Well, in my mind there is a difference."

"Ok, I wont talk about being you boss."

"Good." We stayed quiet. "This is weird."

"It doesn't have to be." Why was he serious when he said that.

"Yes it does, you don't like me, I'm not a big fan of you either."

"We have our differences."

"Yes, let's call it that."

"How about a horror movie?" He asked getting up and walking to the kitchen.

"Sure, but why are you in the kitchen?"

"Popcorn." He said as if I was insane.

"We just had dinner." He couldn't be hungry.

"I'm already hungry again."

"I don't have popcorn….I think."

"Ok, then I'll go buy popcorn and ice-cream. Anything else?"

"Chips, if we are going to eat junk food let's go all out."

"I'll be back in half."

Things were getting weirder and weirder around here.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey everybody, sorry about the wait..**

**Here it goes.**

* * *

><p>Season 3 Episode 07 = Identity<p>

"Yes sir."

"Prentiss."

"Anything else sir?"

"Are we agreed?"

"Not at all sir, as I already said, what I do in my private time is my business alone, so you if don't have anymore work related subjects, I'll take my leave." I got up from my chair and started walking to the door.

"Emily please. I've apologized, several times, for both incidents."

"Your opinion has already being severely expressed. No need to reinforce anything. If you will excuse me sir." I walked out and left the dark bullpen, I just wanted to get home and forget the last couple of days.

* * *

><p>FLASHBACK:<p>

Everything had started just as we were getting back from Montana, Hotch asked me to drop off my notes and the file I had on a consult I had done for the Norfolk police, we got to the bullpen and while everyone went home, except Hotch and Rossi I started looking for the damn file.

It wasn't on my desk, it wasn't on Morgan's or Reid's, so it took me some time to find it. As it was, after almost an hour and several dark looks from the janitor that had to open both Garcia's and JJ's office for me, I found it.

When I was outside Hotch's office I could heard both senior agents talk.

"You and Emily sound close."

"What?"

"Well, you always ask for her opinions, you sit by her on the jet, and I have heard that you went to her house. Several times."

"I value her as an agent, that is all Rossi. What we have isn't even friendship, she has discovered about Haley and started interfering, a little rude if I'm being honest, but Jack likes her."

I had never I could be this shocked and enraged at something like I was at this. I was interfering? Well let's not keep him suffering my company any longer. I pushed the door open and both agents flinched realizing I heard them.

"Your files sir." I dropped them on his desk and turned my back to walk out.

"Emily…." I looked at him, but at that moment, I knew it was better that I left, otherwise we would get into something I was sure I would gladly end. I walked to the parking lot and got into my car.

My cellphone started ringing not five minutes after that, I looked to the flashing name of my supervisor and threw the damn device on the passenger seat. I felt awfully angry and mortified. Was I all that?

I decided to do something I hadn't done in a long time, I picked up the phone again and dialed a number I hadn't in a long time.

"Look who still is alive."

"Hi Tom."

"How is everything being?"

"Fucked up, as always."

"That is usually the way the company works love."

"Yeah, yeah."

"What do you need?"

"A pick me up."

"To learn, or to decompress."

"The later, I'll text you my address."

"I'll be there in half, I want dinner."

"Done, I'll be waiting."

Tom Willis was a fighting instructor, for all purposes. He was the one that got me ready for some of the jobs I had to do, and after learning what I had to do he put me under his wing. We had become friends, and from time to time, he would fight me, really fight me.

At first, when he was ordered to train me I would end up bloodied and unconscious more times then not. But he had to keep going, if things turned out badly on the job, I had to know how to defend myself, and a weapon wasn't always available.

It had being hard, but I knew not learning would mean imminent death. Eventually I got better, and then better. And after some time I got really good, but also dependent, when you have to learn on those conditions, fighting angry is very common, and so getting confortable taking out anger when fighting it's easy.

Tom was like that too, he understood. He had being in the company for too long, and knew that we would all get scars, we were all wounded and needed a way to let it out. Fighting was ours. After getting to the FBI I hadn't need that, it was almost four years since we had reunited for that. The last time being the death of a loved one of his, but we didn't talk, that wasn't what we did. We fought, that was all.

* * *

><p>It was quite a surprise, when in the middle of my training session with Tom, while I was trying to fight him off my back, I felt him loose his hold. I quickly looked up to see Hotch punching him.<p>

"Are you insane?" I ran between them and started pushing Hotch off.

"I'm insane? You have a man hitting you, and after I get him off of you I'm insane?" He screamed.

"Yes, you are the one that broke in. What Tom, my friend, and I were doing is none of your business." I was still breathing heavily, but from the looks of things, they were too, for different reasons.

"Tom? What kind of friendship do you have that you let him beat you up?" He started pacing in the room.

"Want me to kick him out?" Tom piped in.

"No it's fine, I have to handle this." He nodded, understanding that I could deal with the newcomer in the room. He got his things.

"I'm going to run then, call me later."

"She isn't buddy." Hotch called out to him.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"What I am doing? I'm not the one getting punched in my leaving room."

"As I've said, none of your business. Just get out."

"No, this isn't just a Emily problem. What does it says about your capacity on the job if you are going home and letting someone hit you. You are bleeding, you are hurt, I forbid you to keep doing this." That made my blood boil.

"Listen to this: It's none of your business what I do in my private life. Tomorrow in the office, that is your business and if I ever do something that might make you or the team doubt my abilities, fire me. But this, this is my life, and as we know well, you don't like interfering. I don't either, so get out."

"Emily, I'm sorry for that, but Rossi put me in the spot, I freaked out. I thought he was going to say that there was something going on, so I just panicked."

"There is something here, hate. I don't want to see you here again."

"Emily you can't be serious."

"Oh I am sir, believe me. You let things very clear."

"Stop this, listen to me."

"I'm going upstairs to take a shower, when I come back I don't want to see you." I turned and went upstairs, ignoring the heavy weight that had sat itself in my chest.

* * *

><p>My life was getting a mess, what was I thinking getting all buddy buddy with agent Hotcher, he was my boss. You don't make friends to your boss, you don't get close to your boss.<p>

What was I doing? When did I need Tom's help because of a weird friend? It was a good thing, today, this whole fight, it woke me up.

I was feeling lonely after Liam, I was just attaching myself to the next person, rebounding. So I just needed to take a step back and breath, analyze things and keep the emotions locked away, I was good at that, really good.

I went to lock my newly fixed door and get the salad I had prepared from the counter, things were getting messed up, I was loosing ground, mixing feelings and attaching myself to people I shouldn't.

Spending time with Jack fell into that category. He was just a child, connected easily, and spending so much time with me was not what he needed right now. He was dealing with his parent's divorce I needed to back out.

He had gotten close so quickly, just a few meetings and I was ready to do the world for the little guy, and he sounded very comfortable with me, just from having a few outings. That wasn't good, I wouldn't be a fixed person, and for that, leaving now was the best.

I went to my room and opened the safe, in there I kept memories, the memories from a life I left behind. A life that wasn't mine, just a ghost of one. And for one night I let myself drown in those dark thoughts.

* * *

><p>The next day I got to the office earlier, trying to avoid free time, that way I might no get interrupted. I almost made it, but by the end of the day, when mostly everyone had gone home I sat in my chair I heard the door upstairs open and damned my luck, he had being waiting.<p>

"Prentiss can you come up."

"Sir?"

"Now please." I walked to his office and closed the door as he told me to, but refused to sit down.

"I want to apologize for any misunderstandings that I might have caused."

"That is alright sir." I responded with a smile.

"Jack has asked about you, he wants to do another sleepover."

"He is a very sweet kid sir. You are very lucky."

"How about you come to the house, I'll be moving out soon, but Jack wanted to show you his toys."

"I'd rather not sir."

"Please, you know he wants you there, I want you there, you are a friends."

"No, I'm your subordinate."

"And that is how it's going to stay, but we were having fun."

"Yes sir."

"Prentiss."

"Anything else sir?"

I stayed in silence.

"Are we agreed?"

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

><p>The next day I got a call from Tom, from Hotch and my mother. Besides that Hotch had sent me a text, a email, and tried to take me to lunch, they were all trying to drive me crazy, I decided to go home before exploding at someone when a bag was dropped to my desk.<p>

I looked up and saw Reid give me a shy smile and walk to his desk, I opened the bag and inside were baked goods. He had know I was in a mood having snapped at Morgan and him, he took the time and went to the famous bakery near the BAU and got me a full bag of comfort food.

"Thanks Spencer."

"You are welcome."

I left the building and started walking to my car, as I got close I could see Hotch standing there. Here we go.

"You know, this is probably how the Unsubs we catch start."

"You are making this weird. You are making us weird, and for nothing."

"I'm not. I just think that on the fact of us, hanging out, you are right. We probably shouldn't."

"That wasn't what I meant."

"I know, but I had time to think. We are way too different, and this is better, Jack won't get attached and we wont get comfortable in this crappy situation."

"What crappy situation? We were having fun, we are friends for god's sake."

"Look let's just drop it here."

"At least promise me you won't call that guy, that you won't see him."

"Hotch…"

"No, that is out of question. I still can't believe you would do that."

"How do you think I was able to learn how to fight, to be good enough to take you and Morgan."

"You were bleeding, that wasn't friendly Emily, that was dangerous."

"He is a professional, don't worry."

"That isn't a option anymore."

"Hotch, you don't know me. Believe when I say this, you don't want to." In the back of my mind I could feel the hurt of saying those words, of admitting this, but that had to be done. "So there are no hard feelings, but let's leave this here." He put his hand on my hip

"Emily stop." In that moment I realized how close he was, his hand took grip on my hips and he stepped so close, I could almost feel his chest to mine.

"I have to go" I said barely above a whisper.

"I don't want you to."

"You don't want me to what?" He was standing too close, I was loosing my train of thought.

"Hey guys." Hotch stepped away and tried to look normal, all I could do was stand there, and unfortunately realized how cold it felt when he stepped away.

"Reid." While Hotch turned to say hello, all I could do was wave and get into my car. After some time apart everything would go back to normal.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I know this one is short, and I'm sorry about that, but you will understand.**

**I hope you like this, and I'll try to get the next one as soon as I can, but they aren't getting reviewed for mistakes anymore. So I apologize in advance for any mistakes, as you might have realized I'm not an english native speaker.**

**PS: I got a twitter and tumblr, come talk to me! The name is on my profile.**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews.**

* * *

><p>Season 3 Episode 08 = Lucky<p>

I had just gotten home, this case had being weird, beyond weird. He had being feeding people his victims, it was those kind of crazy that would make us put stuff on the list.

A list of what not to do, and going to the restaurant for the next few days were a no no. Who would want to do that after having such a experience like we did, sometimes you got to hate what this job did to you, as a person and not just what it did to everyone else.

I had just put my bag on the counter when I got a call, from my mother.

"Mother?"

"Emily, can you please come for dinner?"

"We talked about this mother, The General doesn't want me home." We both laughed at that, we had gotten dad that nickname since our fight.

"Please Emily, your father is travelling."

"Fine I'll come."

I drove to my mothers preparing myself, dad had never gone so long without talking to me, it was heartbreaking, but some things were better left unsaid, some things were better left alone in the past. Only he didn't think so, and just coming here when he wasn't home was hard.

I got outside the house and took a deep breath, let's see what this was going to be about, lord help me tonight.

"Emily." Mother said answering the door.

"What? No maids to open the door today? Did they finally run for their lives?" I joked getting my coat off and putting on the closet.

"Very funny, I thought you were more mature then that."

"I thought the same, I guess we were both wrong."

"Dinner is almost ready, but let's go sit on the table."

"Why?"

"We have a visitor, and we are looking at pictures." I lifted an eyebrow.

"Visitor, in the dining room, old pictures. Is grampa back from the grave?"

"Emily don't be morbid."

"Sorry mother."

"Come on, I believe you will be the happiest about this."

"Okay." We started walking to the dining room.

And then I had the happiest sight in a long time.

"NANA." I ran like a little kid and hugged the old woman like there was no tomorrow, I couldn't believe it, what was she doing here?

"Let the woman breath Emily." Mother said laughing.

"What are you doing here? How did…When.." I couldn't even form words.

"I was working for a very old sir, and he just passed away. Apparently your mother has being keeping tabs on me, and now I'm going to be working here again." This was the best news ever, I loved the woman like she was my second mother.

"That is great news, head of the kitchen?"

"Governess " Mother would only decide to let someone else lead the house if it was Nana, she was the sweetest, calmest, firm woman I had ever met, this all sugar coated with the best kitchen skills ever.

"It is good to be back Em." She patted the chair next to her. "Come on, let's look at babies Emily's naked butt."

"I thought I told you to throw those away mother."

"Never, I still dream about showing them to your husband one day dear." The woman knew how to push my buttons.

"And how are we on the looking for a husband Em?"

"Well Nana, you know, I'm not one to pick just one."

"Emily!" Both woman looked and sounded scandalized. Good.

Just then my cellphone rang.

"JJ?" My heart stopped at what I heard. "I'm on my way." I hung up the phone and started going to the front door.

"Emily what happened?" My mother came right behind me.

"A friend of my was shot, I have to go to the hospital" I put my jacket on.

"Here take this" Nana came from the dining room with a huge bag of cookies, my favorites. "You probably won't look for food but will be starving." I looked at her face and she had a smile.

"Thanks" I went out the door to my car, Penelope needed me.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Hey, I promised 26 soon, so here it is.**

**I liked this one so much, but be aware that Hotchniss is starting.**

**Thank you so much for all the reviews. Come talk to me on twitter and tumblr so I can know more of what you think.**

**I hope you like this.**

* * *

><p>Season 3 Episode 09 = Penelope.<p>

I got into my car after making sure all the pots and containers were secure in the back seat. For the pass two days I had being crashing at my mother's so that I could enjoy Nana.

I had never eaten that much in two days, my addiction to her food was so seriously that I knew I had to go back home, ASAP. Mother had being mothering me, so was Nana, our team was off rotation this week because of Garcia's shooting, and thus I was waking up later then usual because I was so closer to work and didn't have to cook or do anything previously to going to the office.

I was even getting breakfast in bed. I wasn't really sure why I was getting the you are sick treatment, that was the only occasion my mother allowed those things. My guess was that both women had realized I was a bit sensitive and decided to spoil me a little.

Mother had almost never done it, and Nana hadn't for years, thus it was safe to say we were all loving it, even if I was enjoying this way too much. Mother had actually tried to tuck me in one night, after I relentlessly mocked her for it she had laughed with me and said it was good to have me home.

I drove to Penelope's place right after lunch we were all taking care of her. Morgan was her with her almost 24/7 but the whole team pitching in. We alternated between visiting, doing grocery, picking medicine and just doing everyday errands. The whole thing had scared us and we were a lot closer since it.

I got off the car but decided to call Morgan, I wasn't going to be able to take all this food inside alone. Nana and mother had being so worried that they decided to cook together, and for something to put my mother in the kitchen, it had to be big.

"Hey princess."

"Hey, I'm just outside. Can you help me bring some stuff in."

"Sure, but what did you bring?"

"Essentials."

"I'm on my way." Not even five minutes for my surprise, Hotch opened the door and walked to the car.

"Hey."

"Hey, I didn't know you were here." I awkwardly stated.

"I knew you were coming." And things just got more uncomfortable. "I tried going to your house a few times, and calling, but you are never there anymore."

We hadn't being talking as we were before, things had definitely taken a turn for the awkward between the both of us. He had sent me so many signals over the past few weeks that were making me dizzy.

He had being touching me more, snapping at me for no reason. Partnering me with only him, and ignoring me at the same time. It had become so intensely disconcerting and noticeable that even Reid had asked what was going on. And for those reasons I had started ignoring him a bit, just outside work of course, but I had to distance myself, before we both did something stupid.

"I'm staying at my mother's." We started getting all the things from the car and inside the house. Good Lord, had both woman gone insane with this amount of food? There was no way Garcia and Morgan could finish this by themselves before it went bad.

"Did something happen?" He looked worried, and it made me cringe, I shouldn't be shutting him out so completely, he was bound to get worried if I dropped out the face of earth. Damn it Emily.

"No, just enjoying time with her." I stated, and as he looked at me I knew that didn't make much sense. "We are getting along better." I explained, he knew how she could be.

"Good. I was worried." His statement only made me feel more guilty about this. We got into the apartment and went straight for the kitchen. "Morgan is helping her with the bandages." Hotch told me as he saw my eyes looking for either one of out team mates.

"Ohhh…"

"Did you cook?" He looked suspiciously at all the pots and pans.

"What's up with you and your distrust in my cooking abilities?" I inquired with a mix of amusement and resentment. I could cook, it wasn't going to be fancy, and there wasn't a big repertory of things I knew by heart, but I could do it.

"Sorry."

"I didn't cook." I admitted quietly, putting a smile on his face." An old cook that we had when I was little is working for my mother again. Let's just say she is the best cook in the universe and when I told her about Pen, she cooked up a storm." I smiled at him. "I've also being enjoying that at my mother's." I elaborated.

"All Ulterior motives I see." We started organizing the food in the fridge and the pantry, Morgan would figure where everything was later. And I felt like we were back in our friends bubble again, where things weren't weird and I could be myself.

"Please try one of her cookies before condemning me." I opened the bag and gave it to him. He bit into it and his eyes opened wide.

"This is Nana's cookies." I turned around and looked at him.

"You know her?" I was surprised.

"Yes, she tried to fatten me up when I worked for your mother, let's just say she was successful, I don't think I have ever eaten as much as when I was working at your mother's."

"I know what you mean, you can never get enough of her food." I got another plastic bag and put half of the cookies inside. "Here take those home. But share with Jack." He happily took the bag from me.

"I know the polite thing is to refuse, but I can't say that I want to at the moment."

"I'll try and bring more, to Pen and to you."

"They are worth begging for."

"Hey." Penelope and Morgan said coming to the kitchen. "And what the hell is all this food?"

"It's safe, a friend made it." Penelope came to me and hugged me.

"You didn't have to trouble anyone my dark princess, but thank you."

"After you try this, you will thank the trouble." Morgan and Garcia looked at each other after such a strong declaration from Hotch.

"How are you Pen?" I asked as we all sat down on the leaving room with the bag of cookies and cups of coffee.

"I'm fine! I keep telling you guys that but I truly believe I'm being ignored." She ranted. "Morgan won't let me do anything, and I have never had so many visitors, no offence sir, but I never thought I would see you in my house, on a Sunday."

"We were all really worried." I explained and her face fell.

"I know, I was worried too. But I knew I could trust you guys to save me." She smiled. "You all are my superheroes."

"So what do you think of Nana's cookies?" I tried to break the gloomy mood that had fallen on us.

"Princess, I love my mothers cooking, and I swear by it. But damn, where the hell did this woman came from? Wonka's factory?" We laughed at Morgan.

"She is this tiny woman with the most amazing fingers ever, her cooking is heavenly, and I have to get the hell out of my mothers before I gain weight from so much food."

"You are staying with her?" Pen asked.

"Yes, and I have being eating like eight times a day, they even pack me snack's for the office."

"And your dad?" I had told Penelope about not being on speaking terms with him.

"Traveling Good knows where." Hotch and Morgan frowned at that, but I wasn't in the mood to talk about that, thank Garcia for interrupting.

"I saw how much food you brought and all of you will stay for dinner so we can at least make a start on it. We may have to donate to every person who comes to visit just so it doesn't go bad.

We decided to heat up the lasagna to have dinner together, it was a very relaxing evening, and I made two more addicted to Nana's cooking. She would be happy to know they enjoyed it, her cooking was her proudest ability.

After eating and washing things up for Pen and Morgan Hotch and I decided to go home, and then I found out he had taken a ride with JJ in the Morning, therefore I decided to offer him a ride.

"Come on, I'll take you home." We walked to my car and got in "Where do you live?" I asked him as we settled inside the vehicle.

"Three blocks from you." He answer quietly

"What?" Was he joking?

"I moved out of my house, I was looking for a apartment and found one. Three blocks from you."

"Okay, let's go." We drove in mortal silence.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything."

"Hotch you didn't have to ask permission, it's fine." After more driving in silence I decided I didn't want it to get weirder, it's was just a simple thing. He moved close to me, no big deal. "You do know it's fine right?"

"It's weird."

"Well, not that s different then the fact that your kid has slept in my house." I shrugged my shoulders. "We have a singular…. thing." Way to name this, now we had a thing. And my will to hit my head in the steering wheel just got bigger.

"A thing?"

"Well naming it a relationship is weird." What did he want me to say.

" "A thing" sounds sexual." My mouth dropped open, if one thing I had never thought Hotch would say, that was right on top of the list. "Yes, I just said that."

"Okay, not a thing, definitely not a thing." He looked at me but didn't say anything, I decided to let it go.

"So, when did you move in?" I not so subtly changed the subject.

"Today."

"Today as in the same day you spent most part of in Garcia's place?"

"Yes Prentiss, that today."

"Hotch, do you have anything in the place? Did you actually moved something besides clothes?"

"Yes, I brought toiletries." I raised my eyebrow, was he serious? "And I bought a coffee machine, one that I have no idea how to work it thou." We both laughed at that. "Its that one over there." He pointed his building.

I saw a parking space and made a decision right there. I parked the car and Hotch looked at me the question clear in his face. I ignored it and got out of the car.

"Como on slow poke." He reluctantly got out and we started walking to the building.

"So, why did you decide to move out?" We were already in the deep and personal conversation, so what difference did it make another one in an empty elevator?

"We are finalizing the divorce, and I just thought it would be best if Jack grew up there, after all that was the plan when we got the house. She will be Jack's primary care taker, and she is being nice about me having time with him."

"How do you really feel about that?" I asked after a minute of pondering his statement.

"I feel weird. That was my house, and now I live in a two bedroom shoebox like a bachelor. I was married since I could remember, Haley and I were high school sweethearts, I never imagined that I would be here." I turned to look at him and saw he had a defeated look, kind of like a puppy.

"Okay, let's drop this." He looked at me with a frown. "Hotch, you are kind of starting to sound pitiful, but what I really think you should look at is: was it worth it? Staying together? And don't said anything about Jack, we both know that families like that end up in worse shape." I decided on a stronger approach of the situation.

"It wasn't really a marriage anymore, I know you are right. But it's just a big part of my life just ended."

"I get it, but picking up and just thinking about the downsides will make you depressed and right now there is a lot to do. You have to make this place livable for Jack." I smiled at the instant smile that formed on his face at the sound of his son's name. "Imagine how much fun he is going to have putting his room together, how much fun both of you will have." We both left the elevator and he shoed me to his door.

"I guess it can be fun."

"Fun? It will be a blast. You guys will have your man cave, and you will do all this man stuff together and bond and I don't know what else." I smiled and looked at him. "This can be a good thing Hotch."

"You are right." He looked at my face and I felt right then, that something had changed.

"What?" I asked.

"Come here, I want to show you something." He took hold of my wrist and led me to the hallway and then his bedroom.

The rest of the place was pretty much bare of things, al least from what I saw, in his room there was a mattress on the floor and a medium size box. He took me nest to the bad and sat down, he patted the place next to him and opened the box.

I sat down next to him and he took some of the stuff out of the box and I could see they were pictures, after he passed some to me I realized they were pictures of Jack.

"Ohh.. He was such a cute baby."

"Yes he was." He smiled down at one of the pictures of Jack still in the hospital. "One of the first things I thought when they brought him to me was that I had to be careful, someone could try to take him."

"You were right. Was he a quiet baby?" I asked looking at a bunch of photos that were in my hand.

"Yes, slept all nigh most nights, we actually had to wake him up to feed him." He laughed at that. "Have you ever thought about having one? Actually getting pregnant or adopting a baby?" And I sobered up pretty quickly about how much this was getting personal.

"I don't know, I guess" I stoop up and looked down at him. "It's getting late, I better be going." Right after the words left my mouth he stood up, and in doing that he ended up too close, so I took a step back.

"Emily" He took a step forward, which didn't make any sense, it couldn't make any sense my mind was telling me.

"It's late, I have to get home." I said taking another step and realizing I was getting way too close to the wall.

"It's not that late." He took another step forward, which made me take another step back and feel the wall behind me.

"Hotch." I said warningly, he had to snap out of it, because for some reason, I wasn't about to. I had to get away from him and from this, but my legs seemed to be happy to stay, and as he took another step I could feel the cold from the wall and the heat of his body.

"Emily, say stop and I will." His eyes kept looking at mine, as if searching, and I felt as if he was looking for a deeper meaning of what he was doing, of what was happening.

My mouth felt sowed shut, in my head I knew this was a terrible idea, but my body was ready to just let go. One of his hand gripped my hip, forcefully, to make me feel him there, to make me aware that it was there.

His other hand went to my waist, but instead of stopping there like the other he moved it upwards, gently making goosebumps and lifting my shirt as it went, if on purpose or not I couldn't be sure.

His hand reached my neck and his thumb caressed my décolletage, my neckline, my chin, and as his hand drove the path I knew they were going I tried to make my brain function and say stop, think of a reason why I can't do this, because I damn well knew I shouldn't.

But as his thumb stroked my lips all my will to say no, all logic and coherent thoughts were out the window, and the hunger was all that was left.

"Last time. Say stop" His eyes were darker then I had ever seen before, and his voice was rough and strained, like he was fighting something, like he was fighting himself on this. I could only shake my head, and that was all it took for his mouth to descend on mine.

His lips were hard, seeking, hot and demanding. His grip on me tightened and it only made my breath speed and my want to build. He took my mouth completely, without asking or testing waters, and it was great.

My hands went up and gripped the hairs on the back of his head and he groaned at me, his mouth went to my neck and he sucked there until we both knew there was going to be a mark, only thing was, right then and there, I couldn't care less.

I never thought the stoic agent Hotchner would be this demanding and roughly passionate. This wasn't the organized and polite man I knew, this was a hungry possessive and eager lover. I couldn't complain, he knew what to do to me.

His mouth went back to mine before he backed away to look at me, both of us panting. This man that I had tried so hard to keep at arms length was definitely getting me hot and bothered. . I licked my lips and after growling at me his mouth went down and he bit my lower lip.

He looked at my face again and smiled.

"The things you do to me agent." He had such a bright smile on his face, that I couldn't help but return it.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Hey people! The so waited chapter is here! **

**PS: Have in mind this is my first time writing this, so it might not be to everyones taste.**

**Second thing, there probably will be a slow on the chapter in a few weeks! I got a big person job and so I'll have way less time to write. Yey. Maybe…hehehhe.**

**But I'll try to write several in the next couple of weeks before that so I can have more chapter and there avoid a too long gap in them.**

**Also those new one are not being beta, so be nice, I'm trying.**

**So here it is!**

**Till next time.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 10 = True Night (Hotch's POV)<p>

I have always being a family man, my parents raised me and my brother in a solid household, with rules and punishment if you broke then, but also a love of love and care for each other.

When I got married that was what I had followed, the serious and important part of the provider of the home. Haley and I had dated all through high school, and eventually I popped the question and we waited until we were married to have any sort of physical relationship. I was not going to be one of those pregnancy scare's living teenagers.

My mother always said she was proud to have two gentleman man as son's, and besides the carrier and more singular personality traits Sean and I were very much alike.

But after going over that in my head I had no idea how I had gotten so obsessed with a co-worker. I knew divorces were hard, even when the parties knew the bond was over. I knew people often looked for someone else, hell Haley had gone to someone, but what the hell was I doing looking for her like a puppy?

I had come to her apartment to see if she was okay after Garcia's shooting, only to find out she wasn't there. I had being worried, but after going over at Garcia's to make sure she and Morgan were okay for the night they had informed me she had just left.

I stayed with them for a while, no reason to go back to a empty house where your stuff is all boxed in. Moving out was going to be a hard experience that I was not in the mood of doing it. Haley had told me to take more time, that she didn't need to move back to the house so soon, but we both knew the best thing for Jack would be to have a "normal" kind of life again. And that was getting into a more substantial routine, hence living in a house with mommy and going to daddy's on the weekend and appropriate dates, even if it sucked for me, Jack was what mattered.

I decided to go back to her place after leaving Garcia's and this time around was no different, she wasn't there or was ignoring me. I knew I was starting to evolve some stalking tendencies having come so often after her, but I needed to make sure she was okay, she was important to me.

I had being so ashamed of what I had said to Rossi. She had offered me support and friendship and I, in my pathetic state of panic, had thrown it all in her face. She was probably still mad at that, and I couldn't fault her, after all I was good at making the woman in my life mad at me.

Garcia was mad because I was putting us all off rotation, JJ was still upset about the whole Rossi and the media episode (apparently I hadn't handled it like she wanted me to), my ex-wife for obvious reasons. But now with Emily, things had just gone downhill in a matter of minutes.

I seriously had to start paying more attention, it was impossible that I could piss so many women off in a matter of just a few weeks, it was probably a record or something.

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><p>When Emily offered me a ride I almost refused, after all I still had to tell her about moving, not just moving, becoming her freaking neighbor. I actually thought I had gone insane when I decided to rent that place, it had being a moment's decision, and I was never impulsive.<p>

The realtor had taken me there as a last resort, I had complained and refused all the other options she had, and I knew the reason was my reluctance to move. So when I realized the building was close to Emily's, I had said yes, without a second thought.

But the night had being far from over, she decided to go upstairs with me, and after talking to her about moving she once again made me feel better about it. She made me feel like I was doing the right thing and that everything would fall into place and that it would start to feel normal soon.

How she did it I had no idea, Haley couldn't never get me. And most people now barely tried. But Emily knew exactly what to say in less then two minutes after knowing what the problem was.

I brought her to my room, I had being rehearsing and planning and trying to make her see me in more then just a stoic broken man. She was in my mind most of the time, and I had have her. I lusted for her, for a while now.

"Emily" I took a step forward, I was acting out of character, ever for myself and she probably wasn't even aware I could be like this, but the intensity of this thing between us was driving me crazy.

"It's late, I have to get home." She said backing herself up against my wall.

"It's not that late." I took another step closer to her, if she really wanted to leave I would let her, but not without making my intentions clear.

"Hotch." She said as if trying to remind me or to just jostled me to stop. But from the way her eyes kept going back and forth from my mouth to my eyes I knew she was having the same problem as me.

"Emily, say stop and I will." My warning was clear, I wanted her and I did everything I could to make her see it. My eyes looked into hers, trying to find any protest, any indications that she didn't want this, that she didn't want me. Because if she did I would stop, if she didn't want this I would never cross this line.

But what looked back at me was the same want that I had being feeling for the past weeks, the same burning desire that had being consuming me. I had only had one woman in my life, but I had never experience desire like I was now.

My hand came to take a firm hold on her hip, hard, demanding. I wanted her to know what I intended to do, how I intended this would go, the will to slow down never came to my mind. I wanted her, and I would have her.

My other hand came to her waist, I wanted to memorize the curves of her body, the sinuosity of her form. She was perfectly sinful. My hand went up, dragging her shirt along the way, I passed her breast without much contact, I wanted to build her desire to match mine.

My hands caressed her chest area, her neck and her face, I wanted to touch her lips for a long time now. I couldn't care less if the whole world was ending right about now, because this woman, this oh so flawless woman was saying yes.

"Last time. Say stop" I asked reminding myself that she hadn't said yes yet, and if she truly didn't want this, or if she decided it wasn't worth the repercussions I would stop, I would go back to all the other things that were happening and try to forget this. But if she let me, I would make us both forget anything else.

As she shook her head I only gave her time to realize I was smiling before I took her lips to mine. She tasted sweet and I could barely contain myself. I was finally getting her, she was going to be mine.

I didn't give her time to protest or think about it. My tong was demandingly inside her mouth fighting her before I could ever think, my body knew what to do before I had to think. She moaned in my mouth and it didn't make anything for my situation, I was already so aroused by her that the sound only made tighter the confinements I was in.

Her hand went up my arms and to the back of my head, I was so into the kiss that by the time I felt the pull on my head I growled and put my mouth in her neck. If she was going to tease I would show her I meant business, marking her so that people knew she belonged to someone.

It was like I was loosing my mind and was taken by another personality. I wanted her, intensely, I had never wanted someone or something else as bad as I wanted her right then and there.

My mouth went back to take it's place on hers before willed myself to look at her face. We were both panting and her mouth was red and swollen, and I was happy with the fact that I had done that. I could also see the mark I had made on her neck, it would stick for a few days.

My attention was brought back to her face when she licked her lips and I swear I twitched, she was playing with fire and she didn't even know, god she was beautiful. I looked at her and smiled.

"The things you do to me agent." Her response smile was everything I needed to put my hands in her tights and wrap her legs around my waist. I pressed her back against the wall and as I pressed on to her we both groaned at the feeling. "I want your clothes off, right now!" I left her to cling to my arms as mine made a quick job of getting her shirt off.

In kissing her mouth I could feel her hands untucking my shirt off my pants and dragging her fingernails across my back. I went to her breasts and after moving her bra aside I changed my mind and just tore them from her, I got a glare in response but as soon as my mouth connected to her nipples her head was up and I give her breasts the attention I had being dreaming of.

As I sucked and pinched her nipples she arched her back, surprising me at how responsive she was, how sensitive and clear she was at what she wanted. I wanted to take my time with her, getting to know her body and what made her gasp, groan, moan. But right then and there we were too desperate.

As I took her off the wall she made a quick work on my shirt and by the time we reached the mattress I was shirtless and she was about to surprise me once again. She was the one to push me down and climb on top of me, making sure to rub herself against my hard on.

"Come on Hotch, so much control has got to be annoying, give up a little." She dragged her fingernails on my naked torso, teasing, playing and then moved a little so she could massage me without taking my pants off. We were going to be very sorry if she kept it up.

"You want me to give up control?" I turned us over again and secured both of her hands in one of mine, my body preventing her from moving her legs too much as she struggled, and so she finally opened them to accommodate me, and probably to get me distracted. "But I was sure you would enjoy my commanding ways."

I unbuttoned her pants and took them off, foreplay had gone long enough, at least if we wanted the finish line to be satisfying, for both of us. She kept grinding herself to distract me and get more contact where she most needed it.

I made a quick work of taking the rest of her clothes off and I went back to holding her down, she tried to fight me for dominance again, but when my fingers made contact with her wet center she stopped fighting.

And fuck was she wet, as my hands worked, my mouth found it's way to her nipples and soon she was rocking in sink with my movements.

"Hotch"

"Aaron."

"What?" Her head went up and she had a pretty confused look on her face.

"Call me Aaron and I'll let you come."

"No way, there isn't how this works pal." I stopped all the movement an raised one eyebrow at her.

"Hotch…" She said warningly

"Emily?" She sat down and got her face close to mine, since I kneeling half on the bad and half on the floor. She got her mouth to my ear and her hand went straight for my belt buckle, as she undid it she also cupped me.

"Hotch, you better keep going or else, I swear I'll take matters in my own hands and leave you hanging." I got up and as I went to take the rest of my clothes off she pushed my hands away. She started undoing it, her hands working fast, but her head was looking up and her eyes glued to mine.

After my pants were down she grabbed hold of me and before I could blink I felt the moisture and heat of her mouth. My legs felt heavy and ready to drop, my hands went to her head and I couldn't stop the grown that left my lips.

She kept it up for a while, working me like I hadn't felt before, but I knew we were both anxious for something else. And if she got me a treat nothing more fair then her getting one too.

I kneeled down and taking her legs I laid her down again, but this time with her legs up and opened for me, I kissed her thighs and ghosted my fingers down her side, leaving chills as I went.

"I want to try something." Was the only warning she got, before my mouth got to taste her. I didn't have much practice but her moans and the way her thighs had a firm hold in my head I knew I was doing a fine job She pulled me up with the hand that had being caressing my hair by pulling at it, her breathing very much affected as were her red cheeks.

"Now, I want you inside now Hotchner, NOW." She pulled my shoulders so that I would go on top of her and for the life of me I couldn't care less if I was on top or if she was. "Condoms, you have them?" She asked breathlessly, it took me seconds to go back to my pants and take out the new ones I had being caring.

"Come on Hotch, on your back, I would like to do the honors." She used her teeth to open the package and made a show as she put the damn rubber thing on me. And I could honestly say I had never seen something as sexy as this. The amount of lust I had being feeling for the past weeks were ridiculous, but if they got me here I only had to thank them.

She mounted me and we both groaned at the wonderful sensation, but as soon as we were connected I could see she wasn't very comfortable, so I tried very, very hard not to move.

She slowly started to adjust and move a little, my hands went to her breasts massaging a little and pinching, distracting her as we started slow moves. Hold her hips, gripping, demanding we started going faster, she leaned down for a kiss, but I had other ideas and my mouth went to her breasts.

We stayed like that until I could tell she was finally okay to have more strenuous movements. And just like that she was riding me full force, and as I sensed her tightening I stopped her yet again.

"COME ON." Before she could tell me just how much of a dick I was, I turned us over and pounded freely into the woman, getting her us both the satisfaction we were seeking. As I felt both of us approaching our orgasms I kissed her, wanting to taste her as she came in anyway I could.

She went over the edge first, screaming and shaking and making more marks on me with her nails, I wasn't far behind and came biting at her neck and gripping her wait and legs, we were both going to have marks tomorrow.

My body relaxed on top of hers, and before I knew I it tiredness took over so I just rolled over and fell asleep


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Hey Guys!**

**I'm sorry for taking so long but I got injured at the gym and then for some reason the site wouldn't let me post.**

**So I hope you like this!**

**And I just wanted to make sure everyone that reads knows that even if I slow down on the posting I'm not dropping this, and I'm not just going to rush it. It's going to be like I wanted from the start.**

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><p>Season 3 Episode 11 = Birthright<p>

I woke up and was a bit lost, the fact that I was nude under the sheets made the night before came rushing back, like a bucket of cold water on my head. What was I thinking? What was he thinking? I put my arm over my eyes and tried to think of a way out of this.

I looked over but the bed was empty, I took hold of the covers just so that it wouldn't get caught surprised if he came back.

I set up on the mattress and tried to locate my clothes before getting out from under the cover, God forbid he comes in and finds me butt naked. Not that he hasn't taken a look already, but it was the principle of things.

I could see several of them thrown all different places, it was going to be a game of picking up and running to the bathroom, we had being in a real hurry. This was ridiculous, we weren't teenagers, not even young adults that were hormonal and inconsequent.

I could admit the man was good, he hid a lot of things under that armor he call a suit. He had an amazing body, not as many defined muscle as Morgan, he had strong arms, thighs and stomach, it had being fun taking advantage of all that last night.

After he had fallen asleep I had gone straight after him, we had had so much cases lately and so many consults that late nights at the office were getting common, for the whole team, and then Penelope's shooting. It was no wonder after getting the tension out, both of our bodies, we had taken a very much needed rest.

But as reality came rushing throw the door, and I needed to fly out the window before any type of talk was necessary, well I guess it was necessary, but I just wanted to ignore that and go straight to denial. If he didn't catch me we wouldn't talk, right?

I saw his shirt close to me, on the floor so I took it and put it on, after that I slipped out of the covers and started collecting my clothes from the night before. The walk of shame would not be done, thank God.

I quickly put on my panties and bra while looking suspicious at the door, I could have sworn I heard something. Was he just outside waiting for me to go there? I had to get ready and get out. I wasn't good with the "I'm sorry, but this can't happen again conversation" I actually dreaded them.

It's not that I didn't like what we did, or that I didn't like him, but I wasn't ready for what this would do. I wasn't ready to start all this with someone new, and we were so different, it wouldn't work.

Just as I was buttoning my jeans the door opened and a jeans and t-shirt clad Hotch entered the room. I quickly put my shirt in front of me out of surprise because really modesty when I already had him between my legs was a laughable concept.

"Hi"

"Hi" I said turning my back and putting my shirt on. This could not be happening to me, I was the careful one, after some mistakes I took caution with my private life, I didn't do stupid. Stupid had a too high risk to pay.

"What are the chances that if I took a minute more at the bakery you wouldn't be here anymore?" He asked with a dejected look.

"I wouldn't." There was no point of lying.

"Why?" Did I have to list all the reasons why this was insane, why last night was an amazing mistake?

"Come on Hotch, you are my boss, we don't get along very well, you are recently divorced, I just came out of a relationship, Strauss would have a party? The team would get messed up? Any of those reasons are good enough for you?"

"I asked for reasons, those are excuses. And I'm not saying let's jump into something." Did he mean…. "We got along fairly well last night, if all the marks I saw on myself this morning count for something." He said with a grin and I could feel my face heating up.

"Hotch…" Gosh, how can he be so calm?

"Come on Emily, we can work this as a simple thing and not put too much at risk."

"Friends with benefits?" Was he serious asking? And would I even consider something like this? He looked at me like he had last night, as if he was looking for something.

"Yes, no risks, no investment." He said with his serious face.

And all I could think of was that he was safe, I was sure he would be discreet and I didn't have to do the whole relationship excitement and then breakdown with him, it would be two friends who came together and enjoyed a night together, that was all it would be, all I would make sure it would be.

"Okay."

"Okay?" His mouth cracked a tiny smile.

"Yes, just give me sometime to adjust, and no different treatment at the office okay?" This was a rule I had absolutely sure I wanted if we got into this.

"Agreed."

"And no ordering me around outside the job, I know how you can be."

"We'll see." I gave him a murderous look "What? You tend to do stupid and extreme stuff. Crazy guy beating you up in your leaving room ring a bell?" He gave me his murderous look.

"Tom isn't crazy, and he wasn't beating me up." Stubborn man.

"We will never agree to this one, so let's just leave it at that."

"Okay. What did you bring from the bakery?" He walked out of the room and I followed without bothering to put my shoes on or even taking a look in the mirror.

"It's a little Brazilian bakery I found really close, and they have the pastries that you love so much, but what I like it's all the different kinds of bread they have, specially this cheese one, Jack loves it too." He took a little round ball from one of the paper bags, split it into two and put one in his mouth and the other he stuck into mine.

"This is good!" Wow, who new he had such a good taste for breakfast food? I stuck my hand in the bag for more of the little round cheesy goodness.

"Right? And they have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the colder days that are coming there will be soup and the owner is a nice man, he and his family take care of it." Just Hotch would do a background check into his daily bakery.

"Yep, one of the best. Wait until you try the ones that have stuffing." I tried to comb my hair with my fingers as we ate more of the little bread thingies.

"Okay Mr. International Food supply I'm going to take this one home." I grabbed the bag and went looking for shoes and my purse.

"You are leaving?"

"Yep, I agreed to go shopping for some female necessities for Garcia, and then JJ said we should try and surprise her tonight with a girl night in and give Morgan a break." I located the shoes in the bedroom, I walked back and the purse was on the counter.

"Girls night in?" Well we were going to be talking about guys, most of the night, and shoes, clothes, and have junk food, but he didn't have to know that.

"Yep, Garcia feels trapped into Morgan's testosterone, I think that is her nice way of saying he is getting on her nerves." I picked another cheese bread from the bag, but when Hotch came to take one out I slapped his hand away. "Do you remember where I left my keys?" I walked back to the living room.

"Hey I bought those, I want some too." He pouted like a child.

"And you offered them, so I'm taking then, and since I found my keys, I showed them to him, I'll be going now. Bye Hotch." I finished walking to his door.

"Can't you call me Aaron?" He asked coming with me to the door. "And you are forgetting your sweets."

"You keep those, you just got me another addiction." He raised one eyebrow. "The cheese bread, don't get any ideas."

"If you are good and don't call Tom anymore I'll bring them to the office for you." He sure knew how to bargain.

"I'll think about it. Bye Hotch" I walked out to my car with only my house as a destination. I needed to think.

As I drove the couple blocks home I would reach and grab another cheesy little ball, last night we hadn't eaten anything after the early dinner at Penelope's and because of that I had woken up starving.

I sill wasn't sure if this was a good thing, I mean wouldn't this get messy? We had a job to do, and it wasn't forbidden by the FBI because Hotch wasn't Section Chief and so didn't have the power to promote any of us, he would have to be fired for any of the profilers to go up on the chain of command.

He was the leader of the team, and he did sign off our vacations time and other technical stuff. But any payments or bonus and even transfers had to be approved by Chief Strauss.

But it would be extremely frowned upon by the organization and colleagues, so people wouldn't do it, it wasn't worth the effort and there weren't many agents in the same unusual command system as ours.

But If we did this, if I it continued to happen then we would not be in a relationship, and I would make sure this didn't get out, no one could know.

It would get less lonely. But should I really be considering this?

God I hoped so.

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><p>25 minutes on the phone at the grocery store with Garcia ordering me what to get and what brand to get I was one hungry person. She was very bossy about the her "favorites" brand's.<p>

"Really? This is the best bagel?" Did they really have different taste? I mean they were plain bagels.

"Seriously Em? You have never had Thomas plain bagels?"

"No Pen, I've really never had them. But I'm going to save us both the trouble and put it in my pile of stuff?" I answered already knowing her answer.

"You do that missy. I'm just itching now to go grocery shopping with you, I didn't know you lacked so much culture in food, we will fix that, we can take Reid too, God know our little Genius needs it." I started laughing.

"Okay Pen, I'm going to get another few things to home to drop my stuff off and then I'll be on my way"

"Copy that my hot shot profiler! I'll be waiting. Garcia out." I put my phone in my back pocket and started pushing my cart to the cookies area.

I hadn't being grocery shopping in some time with all the traveling we were doing I hadn't had time or the will to go, but after getting home earlier, still hungry and having literally nothing I threw the white towel I had to go shopping.

After getting my favorite's Pepperidge Farm Sausalito Milk Chocolate Macadamia Cookies and Nabisco Chips Ahoy! The chewy kind of course I turned to the next aisle to get some peanut butter to eat with apple slices and nutella.

I was a bit of a moody eater so I ate a lot of salads, fruits and grains, but from time to time I liked indulging into something straight up junk food.

I had already gotten the stuff for actual meals and I couldn't remember having anything else to buy, when I suddenly passed the "Oh so ignored aisle". I slipped by quickly and got myself a package of condoms. It couldn't hurt right?

* * *

><p>Garcia and I were doing turkey, dry tomatoes and swiss cheese sandwiches for dinner. We stayed the whole afternoon talking, watching movies and just relaxing after such a full few days.<p>

"So toasted bagels or au naturel ones?" I asked Garcia.

"Definitely toasted ones." I started cutting them and putting it on the toaster when my phone rang, just a second after that Garcia's also started.

"What are the chances that this is not a case?" I asked turning around to look at her.

"Today is my "official day back" so I'd say pretty slim." She gave me a half smile.

"Prentiss." I said answering my phone.

"It's Hotch, we have a case."

"Okay, I'm at Garcia's, we will be there in half." I started turning off the toasted, food would have to wait.

"No need, Morgan is going over to pick her up, just come with him, we will be gone a few days." He answered in his work voice, and I was happy to notice that didn't change at least.

"Of course he is. We will be there then."

Duty awaits.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Hi there! I'm back and so very sorry about taking so long.**

**But here it is guys...and it's very, and I mean very well betaed.**

**I took suggestions and someone is helping me and we took like almost two weeks going over this one, so I hope you like it, just as much as I do.**

**And I wanted to thank Kavi Leighanna for all she did, the help, patience, time, effort, and attention! You are a love. Seriously.**

**Well, here it is. I told you I wasn't giving it up.**

* * *

><p>Season 3 Episode 11 = Birthright<p>

"I think you are the most qualified to take care of that." Rossi pointed to Hotch's office where the BAU unit chief had gone after getting back from wherever he had gone. Rossi decided to come talk to me after our team leader had stormed back and locked himself away.

We all stood awkwardly in the bull pen when Morgan broke the silence.

"He told me they were having problems, but he sounded so sure he was getting her back." And for a minute my eyes grew big, he was trying to get her back?

"I had no idea, he told me things were rough at home but I never thought of something like that. Not in a million years, they were high school sweethearts for God's sake." JJ spoke surprised.

That just made me feel a little bit worst after all I had slept with the man not even knowing he was still legally married, that he was trying to get back to his wife for all I knew now.

Garcia nodded at JJ and Reid just kept looking uncomfortable about talking about his boss's personal life. I knew no one had being expecting, because if they had they would have realized my surprise and discomfort had nothing to do with Hotch's divorce papers.

"Did you know?" I turned to Morgan as he asked.

"No. I mean I could tell there was something off, but still. I never would have predicted this." That was my story and I was sticking to it.

"Emily." My attention came back to the agent/writer in front of me and at what he was implying.

"You know what? Why don't you go and take care of it? After all my baggage tends to cloud my judgment isn't that right Agent Rossi?" That was the thing with me: if he wanted to treat me with disrespect in our personal lives like he did in the car that was fine. I was a professional. I could still work with him.

But don't come all friendly after me with hinting things and telling me what to do, I was getting a bit tired of man like this. I was apologizing for the profiling that was done by three people, if he chose to be an ass about it, I could be one too.

I got up from the chair and started rearranging the things on the desk, I could damn well pretend to be going home so he could leave me alone.

"I apologize if I offended you," he started what in my opinion was a load of crap from a man who just wanted to get something done.

"No need to apologize for what you believe in Agent Rossi, but this is a team and getting here just to be stepping on other people's jobs probably isn't the best way to come back." I picked up a few files and escaped before anything else could be said.

Hotch hadn't signed the divorce papers yet. Which meant that technically he was still a married man when we had had sex. Which made me a horrible, horrible person, especially if he was trying to get back to his family. Now here he had a one night stand with an easy employee on his belt.

Not that I was easy, or that I would tell a soul about it. But damn it, Hotch wasn't one to do this and I certainly didn't want to be the one a man did this with. Why did Hotch say that he was working on getting Haley back and then do something completely opposite?

Now the things that were already complicated were getting worse before it even happened again. And here I'd thought that a casual relationship would be a good idea and that it would go smoothly.

Being on this case, getting the same treatment as the others and realizing nothing would change with the team or Hotch and I had given me the push to accept that we should be fine.

Let's just say that now I had taken ten steps back. The disappointment in his face when he'd received the papers had said it all. The idea a of divorce was tearing him apart, and that would make this messy. I had never seen him look so lost and helpless before.

This was such a complicated subject that for now my plan of action was to run and hide, and maybe he would leave it alone too. After all it would probably hit him hard that she was the one that took the initiative, so maybe I was safe in the "don't have to take any actions now" sense.

And maybe it would be better for everyone, at least for a while. After all, I wasn't looking for anything serious. I had sort of fallen into the relationship with Liam and then our lives and how different we were kind of got in the way.

I left the door and peeked at my desk from near the elevators, all empty and problem free. I went back to gather my stuff and try to leave the office at a reasonable time. It wasn't that late, but most people had already gone home, even Morgan and Reid had gone "clubbing". I felt sorry for Reid.

I put the files back in my desk; no reason to take them home tonight, I would be back earlier enough anyway. I grabbed my phone and slid it into my pocket and slipped my coat on. It was getting colder outside.

I was about to lift my purse when I heard my name.

"Hey Prentiss, can you please come up for a minute?"

"Now?" He wanted to talk to me now?

"Yes, please."

I nodded and started going up, kind of dragging my feet and with both hands inside my coat pocket. Was there any other way to delay this conversation for a few days?

Maybe a bomb in the Capitol? Or a serial killer loose in the embassies? A phone call from his mother? Anything to buy me enough time to get the hell out of here.

"Sir?" I asked as I entered and he made a sign for me to close the door. Oh please no. I turned to do as he asked when he started.

"Emily I want to make sure you aren't uncomfortable with what happened earlier." Me uncomfortable because you are clearly not over your wife and this divorce is getting you so out of your tracks that you slept with your subordinate?

"No, not at all." Great, can I leave now? This was so beyond awkward. I looked at the door and saw that I was way closer to the desk than the exit. I took a couple of steps back. Why had I walked so close to the desk?

"Good I just want to make sure this won't affect our situation."

"As in?" Was he serious? He still wanted to do this?

"As in I'm not giving this up."

I sucked in a deep breath. "I think you should think this over, you know. Figure things out, it's still a pretty intimate situation to be in. Especially for you, fresh out of a I don't know how many years marriage."

"Almost twenty years. And I do think things before I act Emily, I thought you knew better then that. I run my life the way I run this unit and carelessness is not an option on either one. I'm serious here I know what I want. And who I want it with."

"Look I'm just saying we should think about it again. Come on Hotch, we did what we did while you hadn't even filed for the divorce, you're a married man for God's sake." I was starting to get anxious over the fact I was the only one that seemed to be looking at the big picture here.

"Besides Haley I've only being with one other person, so believe me when I said this: I'm positively sure about this." He stood up and walked around and sat on the edge of the desk.

That wasn't what I'd been expecting. He had only been with two women, and one of them was me? A handsome, well-built man like him who was also nice and strong was that inexperienced? It was a crime! I probably looked like… Mary Magdalene of the BAU compared to him.

It seemed like he was so sure, but Morgan's phrase about how he wanted Haley back came to my mind. I didn't want to be a home wrecker, if there was a chance for them to reconcile, they should, for Jack. I looked at the top of his desk and saw the divorce papers, and an idea came to mind to make him think this over one more time.

I walked over to his desk and opened the file, on the doted like that had his name under it was missing the signature. It could mean a lot of things, I knew, but he had to think this over one more time, just so I could be sure I wasn't helping end a family for a sweet little boy.

"Emily it doesn't mean that…"

"Just please, think this over again. We can talk about it again in a few days." I walked out before he could try another excuse. This had to be easier, smoother, guilt free for the both of us.

It wasn't that I didn't want to do this, he had done every single thing to make me want this. That night had totally consumed my thoughts, how he had become a demanding man in ways I had no idea he could be. We had fun, we enjoyed each other. But should I be egoistic enough to want this fling to go on? We could never have a full relationship, I wasn't going to let it become that, but the complications of how would it work troubled me.

I walked over my desk and, after grabbing my purse, I walked out of the bullpen. I had to smother my curiosity and my will to look back. I hated being this amped up about something.

* * *

><p>As I got home I felt the weight of this last case and just a little pissed off at the men in the BAU, luckily Morgan and Reid would stay out of it this week. They had a very protective streak when it came to Garcia, JJ and I.<p>

Putting on my silk robe I decided that I had neglected the jacuzzi in this apartment so many times in the last few months that it probably wasn't even working. It was absurd how much the lack of time and routine makes you forget about the good things. But trying to use it now was one of the best ideas I had for a while. I needed to decompress. With that thought I decided to make tonight a very relaxing one. Getting a bottle of wine and a glass I took both things to the edge of the Jacuzzi and came back to get something to eat while I enjoyed my night.

As I stood in the kitchen and tried to decide what went well with wine there was a knock on the door. I knew who it was, there wasn't much guessing and I seriously considered not even answering.

I mean, I didn't owe him anything and I seriously didn't want to deal with this right now. But the knock was insistent and I got closer to the door so I could confirm it was him, I was right. He was here.

"I can see your shadow, open the door." he said in his 'I'm your unit chief' voice.

"Hotchner, I don't think you listened the first time. Go home."

"You really want to do this with me outside the apartment? Open the door Emily."

"I don't want to do this at all!"

"Open it." He was getting pissed, and I could understand why. If our roles were reversed I would be too. But come on, I was trying to do the right thing: get him back with his wife and all that.

Finally opened the door and he walked inside as if running from someone, and didn't even stop to acknowledge the situation or me. He was in a mood, apparently and went to the living room to pace. I folded my arms and followed inside. I sure as hell wouldn't start this particular conversation.

So I decided to let him pace to his heart's desire and just go back to the kitchen and look for my snacks, nothing was getting in the way of Jacuzzi time tonight!

I was totally focused into my debate between popcorn and chips, when Moody came to the kitchen and stood there staring. I could feel him behind me, but I still didn't look over. I wasn't mad at him, or at anything, but that didn't mean I was necessarily in the mood to have a long, hard conversation about how this would resolve itself.

"Why is there so much food on that tray?" Was the first thing out of his mouth. If he was going to ignore all this, then so would I.

"None of your business." I went for the bag of chips, the popcorn would be too weird with the wine. I stood on my tip toes and grabbed the bag from the cabinet, and after throwing it on top of all the other crap I started moving towards the balcony and more importantly the Jacuzzi.

"Emily." I just walked past him.

"Hotchner?"

And then going over the whole thing I stopped dead in my tracks. Crap this wouldn't exactly work while he was here right? After I had opted on no bathing suit, and for that reason, Mr. Cranky Pants had to leave.

"Are we going to talk or not?" I said putting the tray on the coffee table and settled in, as if that was the plan for the night.

I didn't want tell him I was having a private bath on the jacuzzi it would be a uncomfortable situation to just parade around next to naked, when I had just told him we should rethink our situation.

"What are you doing?" Hotch asked as he looked at me and then started looking around the apartment.

"Playing the harp." I replied rolling my eyes.

"Are you waiting for someone?" he asked. I was a little shocked and amused at the same time.

"Not that it matters, because it doesn't look like you will be budging anytime soon. But no, I am not waiting for anyone. Jeez, way to make me sound desperately single."

"Okay…. Let's start over. I didn't mean it like that." His shoulders sagged as he took another look her. "Something is off."

"What do you mean?"

"You are going to overeat without any drinks wearing sexy lingerie or just a robe on? Come on, you are waiting for someone."

"Are you profiling out of concern or because you feel left out? Just say what you came here to say." This was getting out of hand.

"Look…" He took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to me. "The reason why I don't want to sign the papers, and why I didn't mention it is because if I do, I'll have to make Jack choose where he wants to live."

What?

He took a deep breath and leaned back on the couch his head looking up.

"Haley will probably file for full custody."

Oh my God.

"Hotch…"

"Haley called me and said she is thinking about asking for it since I have limited time for him."

"God, I'm so sorry Hotch. That…sucks." He gave a dry smile at my response, but I knew he was extremely hurt by this. The last thing he wanted was put Jack in a tough position.

"She... I just… He is my son too, you know? I just don't want to lose him, or make him think I prefer doing this job to spending time with him. I don't want him to hate me."

"Anything we can do? Or I can do for you?" He put his hands on top of mine, and I could feel the rest of the tension leave his body.

"Just don't act like this anymore. I'm not an irresponsible teenager and I'm not reckless." He put his hand on the back of my neck and I let him guide my face closer to his. "I want you."

"I..." He rested his forehead on mine and interrupted me.

"No, you don't get to question my decision on this."

My eyes flicked down to his mouth and before I could react he closed the distance between us. His mouth was still as dominant as the last time. I was so distracted that I didn't even feel him untying my robe, but as his hand made contact with my skin, pulling me to straddle his lap I could feel my face heat up.

"Tell me what you were doing tonight." he said in my ear and started sucking on my neck.

"A bath." my voice faltered as he slid two fingers to my center and started teasing me.

His fingers were agile and started a slow rhythm. Just like last time he enjoyed watching what it did to me, I could see it in the way he smiled. My breathing sped up, my hips moved in sync with his hand, and my mouth finally crashed against his smirk

I had been so close to coming but with a smug look on his face he took his fingers away.

"What kind of bath do you take so much food for Emily?" I tried pressing my thighs together, trying to get some of the friction he was denying back to my center. He grabbed my thighs sinking his fingers into my skin, making sure I wasn't getting off, in any way.

I dragged his hand back between my legs, pressing his fingers right against me. "Finish it and I may show you."

His mouth went back to mine and his fingers were back to stroking me at full speed. His mouth started moving down my neck, and he took one of my nipples in his mouth. It was all it took for me to fall over the edge.

He started running his hands up and down my sides as I rested my head on his shoulder, the man was good, there was no denying that.

"Can I know now?"

"If keeping things from you will get me this type of reward, I think I'm going to keep a lot of secrets from now on."

"Emily…"

"Jacuzzi."

"You have a jacuzzi here?" He raised one eyebrow at me.

"Yep, and there is wine with a glass, and all this food to take over there. So what do you think?"

"You were going to enjoy a jacuzzi, all alone? Isn't this a good trade?" he smirked.

"Rest assured that I know how to have my fun, even alone." I stood and let my robe fall to the floor. I picked up the tray and started walking towards the balcony and to my waiting Jacuzzi.

When I was far enough I looked back.

"Oh, and Hotch? Clothing isn't allowed."


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Hi How are you?**

**I know it's been a little long while, but I haven't given up.**

**And I'm actually working on the chapters a lot harder so I think you will like it more.**

**Come talk to me if you have anything to say, but I think we are on a good path.**

**Thank for reading...enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Season 3 Episode 14 = Damaged<p>

"He actually considered fighting Hardwick, an armed prisoner, inside the interview room?" When he barged into my apartment and saw me training with Tom, I was insane but fighting a convicted murderer was just a walk in the park for him. I looked up at Hotch's office window automatically.

"Yep. Even took off his jacket and tie," Reid said nodding.

Damn it Hotch, what was going on?

"I was scared you know. Things could have really gone south Emily, Hardwick had one purpose in mind, and Hotch was in the middle of it." Reid's grim face showed how much today could have gone really bad, and how much that was bothering him.

As he turned back to his file I tried getting back to mine, but I kept looking up at the damn window upstairs. This was not a situation to be taken lightly and I was not going to let it pass.

I got up and tried to look inside to see what he was doing. After seeing he was alone and working I made my decision. I went up and knocked.

"Come on in."

I walked inside and sat down on the chair in front of him. I was willing to wait. It was a conversation I was going to let him dismiss that easily.

"Yes?" he said trying to get me to talk without him having to look up.

"It's okay. I'll wait for you to finish that." Usually I would just say what I had to say and get out, not being one to get into complex conversations at work, but everything about this situation was different.

As predicted, he looked up from the file with one eyebrow already up. Deciging on giving me his full attention and putting the pen down, probably already guessing what I had in mind.

"Please tell me you didn't think fighting a psychopath in a prison cell was the best way out of that situation, " I began, to hell with a tactful approach..

"It was a moment's decision."

"It was a crappy decision at best."

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion Agent Prentiss, especially since you weren't there." He cut me off rudely and already getting worked up.

"You know I'm right so stop being a prick about it Agent Hotchner." I added his title for emphasis. "And if you want the opinion from someone who was present at the time ask Reid. He knows the statistics on the chances of you getting out of there alive. They weren't good ones."

"It's not your place to question your superiors. You certainly know that."

"Yes, 'cause we never question Strauss right?" God he was being a dick and he knew it. But guess what pal I can certainly do a bitch performance as well. "Or is this under the belt? Can't I question you because I'm the only female field agent or because I'm the one sleeping with you?"

I knew I shouldn't get this worked up, after all he was in a crappy place right know. But God, he was infuriating. If it was Morgan or even Rossi here right now Hotch wouldn't have a problem with been questioned. He was very territorial and kind of sexist when it came to field officers and it fucking pissed me off. I got up from my chair and stood behind it.

"You stop right there. I didn't mean…" He stood up and raising his hand.

"Save it. I didn't come here for this. But you can't possibly think I'll let you pass this by without so much as a wake up call." I wasn't going to get into the quirks of our professional relationship at the moment.

"Besides having a little boy that waits for you and loves you, you scared the crap out of Reid today." The frown in his face showed me he didn't know what I was talking about. "God Hotch you were the senior profiler in that damn room, and if Reid hadn't taken the reins of that interview you would have gotten out of that prison in an ambulance. Have you lost your mind?"

"Is he that upset?"

"Yeah, you can say that." I sat back down. "Look I just want you to stop and look at what you're doing. This can't happen again." He looked at my face and I could tell there was more to it then just this, he had to work it out first before he could analyze what he had done today.

I got up and walked to the door. "Think about it okay?"

I left and went back to my desk. Some things were still stuck in my throat but at least we might be able to avoid a crisis in the near future. Reid looked up as I sat down and smiled at me.

"Thank you."

"For what?" I played dumb.

He shrugged his shoulders and got back to work I followed right after. Besides we were all dismissed after handing in our files.

* * *

><p>By five o'clock I was home and on the phone with my mother.<p>

"No Mother I'm not going to dinner tonight. Not even for Nana's cooking." I knew she would try to guilt trip me into going, after all dear old dad was back from wherever he went and wanted to get the family together. I opened the fridge as she made her attempt.

"You are being stubborn and immature. A family dinner won't kill you." No but the air in that house might. I was in mood for some food and a movie on the couch, not a fancy dinner at my parents'.

"Sorry mother, but I'll stay in for the night." I closed the fridge deciding on some take out just as there was a knock on the door.

"Fine then, but soon, you know how your father gets." I shook my head, they were both so alike.

"Yeah I know where I got my stubborn streak, Mother: both my parents. Goodnight." I hung up and opened the door to Hotch.

I didn't wait for him and just walked back inside, leaving him to decide when and how he wanted us to talk. He never had a woman he could talk outside work about his work and this new perspective was certainly throwing him off so he could work that out while I made the plans I already had happen and joing me when he was ready.

"Hey." He walked inside and dropped himself into the kitchen counter bench on the opposite side I was standing on.

"Hey." I looked up from the menu I was going over and saw the far away look he had. "Look we don't really have to get into it today, so let's order some food and not talk about it ."

"I'm sorry." He started sitting down on the stool and peering at me from the other side of the kitchen. "I should have done a lot of things different today, and one of them was inside that prison, I realize that." I walked to the living room to stand next to him

"Good. That is all I ask. We ask actually." I put my hand on his shoulder giving it a squeeze."It's okay to be sad about the divorce you know, and about been away from Jack and Haley and all that. We just don't want you to get hurt in a stupid situation that could have been avoided."

He surprised me by putting his hands around my waist and bringing me closer, resting his head in my chest.

"I'm tired," he said without moving.

"Okay." It took me a minute to go over and react to this new side of him. "How about I run you a bath and we ordered some food? We can eat and watch TV tonight." After saying it I went over my phrase in my head and was spooked at how domestic I sounded. God forbid anyone heard it.

"Good. That sounds good." He got up and we went to my bedroom, he took a seat in the bed while I went to the bathroom.

"Is this okay with our agreement?" I hear him mock me from the bedroom after some time. I saved that bit of information for another time.

I looked at him from the door smiled, getting another one back. We could analyze things at a later date. Much later.

"Okay then. I'll order the food." He got my house phone and started dialing. I went to get extra towels and in a spur of the moment decision, wine for the both of us. By the time I came back he was already inside the tub with his eyes closed.

"Here." I handed him his glass.

Opening his eyes, he took the glass and looked at me. "Join me."

"Not tonight."

"Why?"

"Because tonight we are going to talk." He tried interrupting me but I didn't let him. "No Hotch, I'm serious. What happened today was slip up someone like you shouldn't have, and I think you just need to air it out. So let's talk," I encouraged, drinking from my glass.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked dejectedly, already closing his eyes and resting his head at the rim of the tub. "It's over and done with I signed the divorce."

"Come on. How was it in the beginning?" He opened his eyes to look at me. "It's good to remember the good parts, even if they're not good anymore. And we can talk about anything and everything if you don't want to talk about Haley."

"I have a brother you know," he started, taking a deep breath. "We had a fight a couple years ago and just talk on important dates. I haven't seen him since. We used to be pretty close."

I got curious at that. He had a brother, huh?

"Is he like you?"

"No, we're nothing alike. He was always the life of the party, the joker, the good looking one."He smiled at me. "I was always the voice of reason." For some reason he sounded self-deprecating as he described himself.

"Hey I find you strikingly attractive Mr. Hothcner. " I mocked with a smile and taking a sip at my glass, winning a smile from the man.

"I just mean that he had a smoother life, no problems, no big decisions, no nothing. Until two years ago he lived like a grown up kid."

"Did that make you mad?" He sounded really upset about it.

"No, it made me worried. I had to take care of him and my mother, but he never even acknowledged that. He just gave up college and went to become a chef." This choice of subject wasn't working on calming him down.

"And it made things heavy on you, since you had your own family to take care of." I finished for him.

"That was one of the reasons why I put off having kids for as long as I did. My father never took care of things, he was just a burden and it we were better off without him. I didn't know how to take care of everything and have my own family and not become like him."

We stayed quiet for a minute, and I debated not saying anything. But I had to.

"I don't know what your father was like, and I do believe a lot was put on your shoulders that shouldn't have." I stopped to make sure he was paying attention to me.

"But I see you everyday at work and I've seen you with Jack. You are attentive, responsible, loyal and very much loved both by the team and by Jack." He still had his eyes closed but I could see in his body language that he was hanging on to every word.

"I think sometimes you think people put you on a pedestal, when actually you put yourself there." He tried sitting up but I stopped him and to make sure he wouldn't move I started running my fingers through his hair. "Reid sees you as the father he never had. Morgan does too but more in the defying the fatherly figure kind of way." We both chuckled.

"Garcia sees you as her mentor, her hero. Gideon and Rossi on the other hand have you as a son. I turned his head to look at me. "You are JJ's only male best friend and she will turn to you if she ever needs anything, even having older brothers she is closer to you then them."

"Was that supposed to give me more or less responsibility?" He joked, but I was very serious.

"What I'm trying to get at is you never asked to be all that, we all know this. We never did it to make you feel responsible; this is just how we look at you because we care, because you are important to us. You are family to all of us." Seeing the spooked look on his face I pecked his lips. "There is nothing you could do to any of these people that would let us down, and I'm pretty sure I can include your whole family in it. Haley included." I didn't know much about the woman, but to be married to a man for more then fifteen years there had to be more to it then a high school crush that lasted too long.

"That… is a new perspective." I rolled my eyes at him.

"You don't need to believe me but I am telling the truth. But try and looking at it my way: you sir are a pain in the butt and the fact that everyone agent in your team would take a bullet for you showed me easily enough who was the FBI chief I had to side with."

We stayed quiet for some time.

"Let's put more water in." I started the faucet again and showed him the plug. "It looks like you are enjoying it too much to stop now."

I got the water temperature right when he called my attention.

"I guess you're right."

I looked at him questioningly.

"I'll call Sean."


End file.
